Black Panther, White Tiger
by dodo44
Summary: Xander leaves Sunnydale. He finds himself becoming stronger and faster with heightened senses, enter Sentinel Jim and his Guide Blair. Mini-Jack,just wanted to enjoy high school. Answer to Miralynn/mikerich challenge. SG1 TS and BTVS
1. Chapter 1

This is my first effort to answer challenges issued by members on the Twisting the Hellmouth site. Let me just say that I have never had the chance to watch the Sentinel, so my observations were taken from the fanfic that the fandom has generated. Below is a description of the two challenges this fic tries to answer. There is no Slash but there is some male touching and bonding. I do not have a beta so please be kind with the criticism and please do read and review.

If you are reading any of my other stories please accept my apologies with the delay in updating them but the muses are fighting among themselves and I've lost the direction the stories were going in. This time I've sat down and written the lot in one go, so that there will be no more unfinished works by this author. Oh no I got this bull by the horn's and I'm not getting off until the ride is over. :-D

Challenge One

MinaLynn Challenge Name: Xander the Sentinel? Challenge Type: Personal Challenge Category: Television Description: This is mainly a Buffy/Sentinel crossover but there's also an option to cross it with SG1. I've included a couple different versions of the Challenge below:

1. The summer after graduation when Xander decides to tour the USA he takes along camping gear as a cheap alternative for lodging. While out there he stays in one place for days at a time which brings his Sentinel abilities online. In doing research on what's going on he finds some information on Blair and his theories and so he heads for Cascade. While there he not only finds Blair and Jim, but his own Guide too. His Guide can be anybody male or female.

2. Same as the first except in this one his Guide is the clone of Jack O'Neill. Xander can either run into him in Cascade or meet him before Cascade.

3. In this one it is the clone of Jack O'Neill who is the Sentinel and Xander is his Guide.

Honestly I'd love to see it as Xander/Jon (the clone) but it's totally up to you on how you want to do it. For a story to check out on how Guides and Sentinels are 'supposed' to be together check out "Mountain Pass" by Lady Ra at http://www. this is a wonderful example of how certain Guides are meant to be with certain Sentinels and a bonding process that they go through.

Challenge Two

Challenge Issuer: mikerich

Challenge Name: Its For your own good you are just the normal one

Challenge Type: Personal Challenge Category: Stargate

Description

After the ADAM Fubar some powerful people show up to help Buffy keep the hellmouth guarded so Buffy and Willow decide Xander's not needed any more so Xander redoes the road trip only this time with a better car and gets to Colorado Springs when Xander's luck kicks in he runs into an escaped Go'uld.(Since Xander's left the hellmouth he noticed that he seems stronger and faster and that the soldier memories are back stronger then ever.) So after one hell of a fight Xander wins and kills the host but he notices that the snake is starting to leave the body and his instincts make him go to full alert so when the snake tries to get to him he stabs it with his knife. SG-1 Shows up in time to witness the fight. Daniel swears in Sumerian and Xander tells him to watch his mouth there are ladies present Jack uses battle signs to his team and Xander moves to disarm the team. Xander chews Jack a new ass hole about attacking with out the FAQ's.

Chapter 1

**Sunnydale, California **

It happened slowly at first and Xander wasn't aware that it was happening, but slowly his participation as part of the Scoobies became less and less. Since the events with ADAM and Professor Walsh the official arm of the government had created a whole section dedicated to observing and controlling the Hellmouth. The newly named, Area 53 section was a full sanctioned armed force, which was headed by a civilian member of the Watchers council. Former librarian Rupert Giles, was no longer just the mentor of the slayer. It seemed that one girl against the darkness had become one girl, one witch, one ex-demon, one chipped vampire, and a full armed unit of 10 teams of Air Force and marine hunters. The demon element of Sunnydale hadn't know what had hit it. In stead of a big bad arriving every year to open the hellmouth/take over the town. Sunnyhell was now secretly policed by the military teams and certain species of demon were eradicated, others were allowed to continue peacefully and some were relocated to remote islands for the safety of man kind and non intrusive scientific study.

At first Xander was part of the whole planning and hand holding portion of the old gang. Not forgetting the bringer of doughnuty goodness, but after a time he was kept away from the dangerous action for his own safety, then he was left out of planning meetings because come on what could the Zeppo bring to the operation. In all fairness, it was not just that the gang were leaving him behind it was also the fact that Xander was outgrowing his former role. Instead of the funny side kick guy, a part of Xander began to mature and grow more alpha. Instead of accepting the new changes in their friend, the slayer and the witch tried to contain him and restrict his place with the other teams. Rupert Giles saw what was happening and the fact that they were alienating their friend with their over protective and patronising ways but he had a facility to run and it was far too late when he realised just how long it had been since he'd seen the boy.

One night, Xander sat holding the phone in his hands the dial tone softy disturbed the silence of his the basement, his mouth hung open from the final parting shot that his best friend Willow had said before she'd disconnected; "...it's for your own good, your just the normal one." After several weeks of getting nothing but her answering machine and voice mail the long awaited phone call had consisted of listening to her moan about the pressure she was under, but only the bits that weren't "classified" and a parting shot that left him firmly pushed on to the outside.

The next morning was bright and cheerful as the old sky blue car sat out side the Harris' residence. It had seen better days, and was rusty in several places but this time Xander had paid attention to what was contained under the bonnet and he knew that he would get further than Oxnard. Slamming the trunk down on his packed belongings, Xander checked one last time for his cell phone and that the bank cards were all accounted for. The savings he had been able to put together from the various minimum wage jobs, which he'd had over the last year after High School, were enough to fund a few months of travelling. The plan was to work ad-hoc where he could until he found somewhere to settle. Xander Harris 19 and a half years old folded his 6ft broad shouldered frame into the car and took off for the open road, looking back over his shoulder as he went.

...

**Twelve Months Later, Cascade, Washington.**

"Hey Harris. How's it going in the stock room, Have you managed to count the stock on the first set of shelving yet?"

"Yeah. Boss just stacking the last of the boxes." Terry Hall nodded his head as he continued to work on the stores accounts. Harris was a good hire, although he was prone to unusual bouts of day dreaming, he was well organised and did the heavy labouring work without a problem. Over the last twelve weeks of the boy working for the small independent hardware store in Cascade, Washington, Terry had seen how the customers had taken to Harris and the young man came to know the hardware trade quite well.

Xander came out from the store room carrying a clip board, a bag of rubbish and a broom. "All cleaned, counted and re-organised Boss." He handed over the clip board with the lists of stock and accompanying counts.

"What the whole storeroom Harris? Those sacks weigh a ton." Terry looked up from his book-keeping with surprise, and taking the clipboard, from Xander, he began flipping through the pages of neat notes.

"Once I got going it wasn't a problem." Xander shrugged his shoulders, since leaving Sunnydale and then taking on so many casual manual labour jobs he'd found himself lifting heavier and heavier loads without trouble. The clumsiness that he had been cursed with had also vanished leaving a graceful, strong man in it's wake. Having been around Buffy for 4 years he didn't think it was such a big deal. He wasn't Buffy strong. What he did enjoy was his independence and the confidence he'd gained from travelling the states. Currently he was saving up for his first push overseas, another six to twelve months of work and he'd have saved up enough dollars for a round the world ticket.

"Well in that case, you can go back to building a new coffee table for the front window display."

"Sure. Does that mean you've had an offer on the other one I made already?"

"Yep, someone was looking at it yesterday." Terry smiled down as he continued with his work, the kid was modest but there was no denying that he also had talent for working with his hands.

"Mr Lionel?" At the front of the shop the little bell jingled as a customer walked in.

"No. that detective fella."

"Oh well I guess Blair got his room mate to agree after all."

"It's a fine piece of work Xander, it was hardly hard work to convince Jim." The two hardware workers looked up at the curly haired detective as he came over to join then at the side counter. At 5ft 8 although Blair Sandburg wasn't short, but Xander stood half a head taller than him.

"Hey Blair, how's it going in the world of crime? And how goes the solving of it?"

"Fine. It's been a long week but I've got Jim to agree to a fishing and camping weekend to cleanse our spirits."

Xander laughed, "Hey Boss, if I tell you that my spirits' dirty can I have the weekend off, too."

"I'd tell you to leave it at the dry cleaners like everyone else." Terry scowled but the good humour shone in his eyes, as the two younger men laughed.

"I guess enlightenment has yet to strike Hall's Hardware, Blair."

"Well it took time, four years in fact, but a small flame of enlightenment now burns in the Major Crimes department. Now and they were a very hard bunch to crack."

"Since you managed to warm up Jim Ellison there's a lot of people who are intrigued on how. I remember ten years ago I'd of sworn that those ice blue eye's of his were windows on an ice cold heart. Shows you how a man just needs the right sort of friend." As Terry had spoken Blair watched as a shadow seemed to cross over the younger hardware clerk's face.

"Yeah, close friends can make even the end of the world seem like the place to be." Xander seemed to shake himself as Blair watched and the sunny disposition that he was known for was back, but didn't quite reach his eyes this time. "I'll get that table wrapped for you." And he went off to the back of the shop to get the detectives purchases ready for transport.

Terry watched his assistant disappear into the back. "For someone so friendly you'd think he'd have a line of friends."

"No family?" Asked Blair.

"Not that he mentions, and apparently there was some sort of explosion at his old high school, killed a lot of his graduating year. He gets a phone call every once in a while, but to be honest they seem to do more harm that good.." Terry supplied. "A situation like that would leave an impression on a man. Sometimes I'll be watching him pause and then just stop. He could be standing there for 10 minutes or longer until I shake him out of it. I put it down to some post traumatic stress, and I don't make much fuss. Other times he's so sharp it's impossible to believe."

Blair was intrigued. "Sharp? Like what?"

"He found Mrs Halley's ear-ring when she dropped it the other day. It had gone and rolled down the aisle, down the stairs, under the door and into a corner of the store room. The boy said he'd heard it and followed the sound. Heard it! The shop was full, I couldn't hear myself talk. But five minutes later there he was, a damn sight more dusty but holding the ear-ring."

Now Blair was a lot more that just intrigued. Thinking furiously he began to think of a plausible way for him to get more time with Xander to check out his hunch. "Do you think that there is a chance that Xander would be interested in fishing and camping, this weekend Terry?" Terry blinked and looked at Blair surprised at this turn in the conversation. "It might be a step towards making new friends?"

The old man shifted and transferred all his attention to the detective. "Well I don't know about that, weekends are normally busy in this trade, Mr Sandburg."

"But didn't you say before that Xander does the work of two, Mr Hall. And," Blair let some of his natural concern for his fellow man show in his countenance, "Jim has lost friends before and it might do Xander good to talk about his loss with someone that understands." Blair could see that Terry was moving more towards letting Xander have some down time. 'Just one more push,' he thought. "Has Xander had any time off at all?"

"No. I guess the boy ain't and he's done a weeks worth of work today as it is. Alright but you get to convince him to spend his first weekend in three moths with two detectives, fishing." With that Terry returned his attention to his books washing his hands of the topic. Twenty minutes later after waiting patiently for his coffee table Blair wandered to the back of the shop and found Xander apparently staring at the bubble wrap that was meant to go around his customer's new purchase. Softening his voice to a soft gentle tone, he talked to Xander until he was back in the here and now.

"Xander, come on and follow my voice. Come on back to me Xander." If he had any doubts about what Xander was, there were none now. Xander had shown he had at least one heightened sense and was displaying a state that was very like a zone, just like his partner Jim did. Possibly the boy was an unbonded, newly emerging Sentinel or maybe his Guide had died in the accident, that Terry had mentioned, to his graduating year.

"Hey man sorry. Was I out of it? I was just looking at the wrapping material and I guess I just got lost for a second."

"No worries Xander. I just wanted to invite you to join our camping trip tomorrow. Terry says that you can have the time off, as a reward for all your hard work."

"Blair that's a nice thought, but I don't know, aren't you going for some chakra cleaning, come buddy bonding time? And are you sure that Detective Jim won't mind the gate crash?"

"Are you kidding, we live together, work together, and vacation together, you'll be adding a new fun dimension."

"Xan-man is all about the fun, but I don't know, it gets pretty busy on Saturday, Sundays..."

"Terry said that you'd done the weeks work all today, he doesn't mind." Blair crossed his fingers behind his back. "Said he was thinking about giving you time off anyway. To be honest it was Jim's suggestion that we add more people. When you're camping it's the more people there are, the more fun is had."

"I suppose..."

"Brilliant Xan-man I'm so glad your coming. I'll bring the Volvo around while you finish with the table." With that Blair disappeared out of the shop to give Jim a call, leaving Xander wondering what had just happened.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Detective Jim Ellison, was a tall imposing man. In the past he had been a Captain working covert ops for the military. At 48 years old, he was still physically fit and in his prime. Now he was one half of the cities most successful cop partnerships. Working for the Major Crimes department under Captain Simon Banks, he had been offered many a promotion. But again and again he'd only taken temporary re-assignment, sorted out the department he was transferred to and then returning to his work as a detective. Both he and his colleague, Detective Blair Sandburg, were legends in the eyes of their peers and on the streets of Cascade.

Currently Jim was looking down at his curly haired companion and he was not pleased. The ecstatic Blair had babbled away, from the moment he'd returned from the hardware store with their new coffee table. And for all the time that he had been preparing the evening's meal, with Blair he'd hardly been able to get in more than a word. Although he knew that this was probably Blair's way of delaying the other man's territorial stance when he felt that his territory was being encroached upon by another Sentinel.

"I tell you man, I am so stoked. Xander's just like you man, I just knew when Terry Hall said that the guy zones and he could follow the sound of an ear-ring so far. It was just like..."

But, damn it, Jim thought, he would have his say, "Hang on there Chief, What if Xander turns out to be suffering from PTSD just like Terry said or worse is psychotic like Alex Barnes?"

"Come on Jim, you've met Xander, he's normal. Friendly guy, good with wood. Over the years we've been in contact with other people like you. All of them have been balanced and they were geared up to be protectors of the tribe. Alex was an anomaly."

"But chief..."

"We won't tell him about Sentinels at first, I'll give him the thesis and encourage him to read it. Oh we could test him without him knowing."

"What if he's another nut job?"

Blair stood and looked at his partner, "Then we need to know Jim, it's our job to protect the city from threats." His voice was quiet and Jim knew that Blair was right. "Have you had any threatening dreams?" Jim shook his head and started to put the plates and cutlery out on the table. "Then that could also be seen as a good sign."

"You just want more material for your book." The big man teased.

"So far, I've got enough fodder for a series of books. I've discovered so much since the original thesis, with visiting other tribes out there and interacting with other Sentinel's, it looks more like the numbers are increasing, not decreasing as my original theory of a throw back would support. This hints that maybe it's a form of devolution."

"What do you and other witch doctors say?"

"The other Shamen, we're Shamen Jim."

"Sorry, Shamen."

"They seem to think that it's the spirits' way of helping the world out. They believe more protectors are being created because the world needs more protection. The fact that there have been more emergence of these heightened senses in the western world, well that's what's got me thinking. I'm just glad that my thesis was leaked and is still doing the rounds on the internet."

"And let's not forget your companion thesis on Guides."

"Don't remind me Jim, to think that I'd missed the special qualities that are needed in a Guide the first time round makes me cringe."

"The mythical sixth sense."

"Yes a Guide is as important as the Sentinel in any pairing because they show a heightened empathy to the needs of the Sentinel, which enables a bond to be formed between the two."

"The times you used to find trouble, I used to think that it was my fault or that you just had the worse luck. To find out that you were sub-consciously seeking out danger to complement my "Protect the Tribe responsibilities" explained your lack of self preservation. But the important thing is we did realise and it's helped many people find suitable pairings."

"Yes, to find a suitable Guide, look around for someone who is seemingly a trouble magnet."

"It never fails."

...

**Several Blocks Away**

Xander looked around at the wood he was in, it was misty and all around was silent except for the thump, thump, thump, of his own heart. Walking cautiously through the trees he was on his guard for any possible hostile creatures.

"You took your time." Xander jumped as a voice cut through the quiet night and turned to face the source. There before him was a soldier dressed in the same battle dress uniform he'd worn that fateful Halloween. He was lounging against a tree, slung over his shoulder was a P90 and without knowing how he knew Xander knew that the visible weapon was just one of many stashed on the soldiers person.

"What do you want?"

"The same as you. Xan-man, I am you."

"You're not real." Xander stammered as he stood staring at the figure it was just an illusion of the spell Ethane had cast. Looking closer and Xander saw that the soldier looked older than he himself was, older and bigger in stature.

"I'm real enough when you need my help. I was real enough so that you could use my knowledge to blow up the Mayor. Save your buddies. The town. The world."

"It was just a spell. We stopped it. Ethane..."

"Ethane Rayne used chaos magic and that kind of magic always leaves it's mark. The slayer that at heart is waiting for a man to take away the monsters, a girl waiting to be rescued. A certain red haired witch, that is now just a spectre of a friend. And all those little horrors of children that will always be a bit wilder than they were. Trust me Xander, I am a part of you, you know that already use me when the need is there." Said Soldier Xander.

Xander stood and regarded the man before him and things that he'd brushed off and ignored suddenly clambered for his attention. "Is that why I'm stronger now, my hearing, the changes in what I can see. My sight..."

"Some of it is, but most is not, I am the knowledge and the skill, but there is more of you Harris and you must wake all of yourself up Xander or the child will fall and with him the world. Wake up Xander, you must wake up. The shaman will have some of the answers, listen to him and the warrior. But you must wake up soon, you must WAKE YOURSELF UP."

The last part was shouted and Xander jumped at the sound, woke up and found himself alone in his bed. But Xander shivered his hellmouthy spider sense was tingling. And as every child born on the hellmouth knows tingles were never wrong.

...

**Saturday Morning **

Jim steered the truck along the winding path to the cabin. They'd picked up the young hardware clerk at five o'clock sharp and they'd already made good time, with the roads being clear and Jim's suspicious mind had been put to rest. Just as before Xander had not set off any of the warning bells that Alex had. Instead of threat to the tribe Jim was picking up sense of belonging to the tribe listening to his Guide chatting animately to the kid, and the happy go lucky sound of Xander's laugh relaxed Jim even further. The Sentinel that resided within Jim was alert in interest but no alarm bells were ringing, Harris wasn't a threat to Jim's place with his Guide or his territory.

"So you've travelled a lot then Xander?"

"All the last year I've been slowly touring the States. You know doing the sites, no real plan just following my nose."

"Sounds like my mother, she's been drifting around the world since the sixty's."

"Well I'm setting temporary anchor here. Need to replenish my essentials funds, you know even though twinkies are full of sugary goodness you can't live on them."

Blair laughed at the surprised look on the kids face. "I've done my own share of travelling man, I understand all about restricted monies and what you can and can't live on. So did Jim, some of the things that you see and the situations that you find yourself in are out of this world. There was this time in Africa ..." Xander allowed the gentle voice of the detective to relax him and settle his mind. The dream from last night nudged his conscious mind and he found himself interrupting Blair's monologue.

"Have you met any witch doctors, Shamen in your travels?" Xander was so relaxed he missed the slight tightening in Jim's shoulders but he didn't miss the look of surprise and seriousness in Blair's face.

"Why do you ask? Xander." Jim spoke for the first time since Blair and Xander had started their hour long talk-a-thon.

"No reason. Well some reason, but hey I didn't mean to upset you or anything." Xander began disassembling. "It was a stupid dream. Talk to the Shaman and wake up."

"No it's OK Xan, it's just we want to know why you're asking, I am a Shaman. And what do you mean by wake up." Sitting there Blair watched as Xander seemed to be weighing him. Something older looked out of Xander's eyes, older and more dangerous. Blair kept his own expression open and non-threatening, as the young man began to react.

Wake up, the last words spoken by Blair repeated themselves over and over again in Xander's head. Xamder for a moment fell into a slight daze and he was suddenly, aware of the slow heart beat of the two men in the truck. Aware of the rush of their blood through their blood vessels. The subtle aroma of their scent as it mixed with his own and the blue of Blair's eyes the myriad of colours in the individual flecks of blue. His own heart sped up as suddenly he was hit with sensory input from all around him. The light was too bright, the clothing on his skin too rough, the sounds vibrated through his mind too loud. The engine, the birds. Xander felt himself free fall into his senses.

Jim became aware of Xander's panic a few seconds after it had started, the acrid scent of fear, tainting the air in the cab of his truck and pulled over. As his Guide watched the young Sentinel, the young man from the hardware store, come fully on-line. Blair started speaking softly in an attempt to bring the kid down, from his sense high.

"Shh, it's OK Xander, I know that everything seems overwhelming at the moment, but just like before just follow my voice. Xander you're safe. It's going to be alright." Blair continued to speak gently for several minutes until Xander had stopped breathing so harshly and Blair was pretty confident that the young man was focusing on his voice.

"That's really good, Xander. Now I want you to visualise a set of five knobs. Just like an old Radio. See the knobs clearly in your mind until you can almost touch them." He waited for a minute, "Focus on them for me, Xander and now give each knob a set of markings from 1 to 10. It's important Xander that you do this. See the dials, see the numbers." Again Blair gave Xander time to accomplish that. "Now label each knob with a sense, Sight, Hearing, Taste, Touch, Smell and then turn the dials down from 10 to 4. Imagine that you have full control over all the knobs, they are yours to control Xander turn them down until they are all more comfortable for you."

Slowly Xander came back to himself, moving cautiously from the huddled ball he'd become Xander looked up at Blair. "What the Hell was that?"

"I suppose that, that, was you waking up."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

By unspoken agreement the older two men had given him space today, giving him time to absorb the change in his life. After watching the two men fish as he'd read his way through the thick thesis, Xander had to concede that all evidence pointed to the fact that he was a primeval warrior called a Sentinel. The evening meal was a quiet affair with the three of them working together to clean and prepare the catch of the day. As they ate and roasted more fish over the camp fire, Xander played with his sense of taste. Turning the dial up and he became lost for a while in the intricacies of the flavours that he was experiencing.

"Xander...Xander man snap out of it." Xander looked up at the concerned face of Blair. Sighing he realised that he'd become lost in his sense of taste. The thesis had called it zoning.

"Sorry. I guess I'm going to have to learn how to control that. The fish tastes so good, I am going to be a very fat store clerk soon, if all food tastes this good."

"Hey, don't sweat it man, it's all going to be okay."

"How do you manage it. Mr E? Not the eating part or the not eating too much part, but the not the zoning?" Jim looked over at the dark youth.

"It takes time to learn to do this but you have to concentrate on keeping all your senses on-line. Not focusing too much on any one thing. The idea of buying it big time, not in a shoot out but being hit by a garbage truck while I watched a frisby, kind of helped with the motivation on that front. And meeting my Guide Blair."

"So Blair's going to help me with my senses and this will go away?"

"No Blair will help you at first but ..." Jim paused and looked at Blair, "it's kind of a one Sentinel to one Guide deal. The Sentinel is quite territorial. There needs to be a spiritual bond between the two, a third party just disrupts the flow."

"You're taking this very well." Said Blair.

Xander smiled, "My life has never been what you would call normal."

"The death of your classmates." Xander looked up at the Guide,in confusion. "Terry thinks that you have PTSD from an explosion that killed part of your graduating year."

"Xander shook his head. "My life's been of the weird for the last five years. Let's just say that my teacher tried to eat me and one of my girl friends was a former vengeance demon, that's just the milder aspects."

"Demon!" Jim was incredulous.

At the same time Blair blurted out, "Tried to eat you."

"Errr, my girlfriend was once an evil shaman, who liked to help women who had been spurned." Xander amended quickly, he so didn't want to be seen as crazy by his new companions. Well you need to keep something for Thanksgiving arguments. "Formally of the bad but she kind of lost her power and had a change of heart. And the whole teacher eating me was a nut job into virgin sacrifice."

"Where did you come from?"

"Sunnydale, California."

Jim thought about it for a moment he'd heard about it recently from an old army buddy. "The place of the new Air Force base."

"That's the one. I'm surprised you've heard about it."

"I know someone who was in special ops, old days anyway we get together every now and then and remember the one's who didn't come back. And he mentioned that there was a new base there. I think he was angling for me to come out of retirement, and transfer over to the Air Force."

"Didn't you fancy it? All the yes sir, no sir, three bags of crap full , sir."

Jim smirked. "Where I go Blair goes and there are just too many times that being what I am would be noticed in a military setting. And I doubt that what ever scientific discoveries going on in Sunnydale would appease the Sentinel in me. What on earth is there for me to protect the tribe against. Apart from cannibal teachers and girls who take the "hell hath no fury," to the extreme of course."

"Of course. So you have to stay together then, is this a for better or worse deal."

"It's the bond. Jim and I are bound spiritually and emotionally and physically. We can operate for a specific amount of time apart but then Jim begins to fall into zones and the emotional stability that the Guide gets from the Sentinel erodes until you're at the mercy of others' emotions."

"So the Guide needs the Sentinel as well to function."

"Yes the thesis you read was written several years ago. As time has progressed so has the bond. I was always pretty good at discerning the emotional moods of people around me, but over the years as Jim's Guide my perceptions have gained focus and I can pick up on the emotions of others."

"So the Guide gains a six sense?"

"That maybe true Xander, but from what I can tell it seems to be the case that the Guide already has this innate ability. The bond between Sentinel and Guide maybe as unique as the people themselves, adapting to their needs. Jim and I are soul mates." Jim coughed, and gave Blair a pointed look. "No sorry, I should rephrase that, Jim and I are not physically intimate but another pairing might be. There is certainly a lot of closeness, that's needed and touching. One pairing might be a sibling pair, another might be a girl/boy pair, the next a female pairing. One set may develop telepathy, another to see the future. The gifts from the bond will develop as the pair become close and each manifestation maybe completely unique."

"So what your saying is that I need to find a person with the mythical sixth sense who doesn't mind getting up close and personal to me from this day forth."

"Nearly, Blair has yet to tell you about your spirit animal." Jim returned the snark, and began to dish out more fish for them to eat.

"Spirit animals." Xander watched the other two men with horror. "Are you speaking about possession." At their blank expressions the Sunnydale boy relaxed. "Sorry just some more Sunndale issues I've got to let go of."

"Xan-man one day you've got to tell us your tales, but for the here and now, no a spirit Guide does not posses anyone it just guides you and sometimes provides warnings for the future. Don't worry Xan, some pairings only see them very rarely. It can help you find your Guide."

"So no eating raw pig or principals."

"You're really going to have to put a lid on the Sunnydale crazy, Xan."

The lights in the cabin had been burning for some time as the dark haired man sat at the table re-reading the document his companions had given him, they had spoken for many hours outside in front of the camp fire. The others had turned in and Xander had taken the time to absorb the information from the two men. Finally he smiled thinking of his last conversation with Willow before he had left Sunnydale. As he moved to dowse the camping lights for the night, he said, "So much for being normal, it was way over rated anyway".


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

We get a view into Jon's life and mind, Jon is in Senior High aged 16 he has just started 11th grade.

xxxx

Colorado Springs, Colorado

He was slow to give up hope. To realise that rescue wasn't coming, that his team had left him behind and were not coming back. Restless Jonathan O'Neill teenage clone of Colonel O'Neill, always left his mobile on and checked the mail in the morning. Subconsciously, he believed that soon his team would be looking for him. Three months later he stood looking at the blank screen of his email inbox he realised what he was doing, waiting for the call to come on home.

It was after six months that the truth of his predicament eventually hit him. Sitting in the Springs' High School cafeteria, the noise faded into a white noise and all the colours drained away until all he could see was grey, black and white. It hit him hard like a sucker punch to the stomach: He was in an alien world, alone without a way home. tenth grade had been more of a culture shock than his 3 month stay on the planet Endora had been. At least he had known his own body. This teenagers skin had been too weedy, too soft, just too plain different at first. His mind knew how to move with military skill, but his body had neither the strength or the programmed muscle memory. Jon had been able to play the big man when he thought that he'd been de-aged, but a week into his re-creation as Jon the kid, the shocking reality had started to kick in.

Back when he was Jack, then he would have had, his, Carter running the numbers somewhere, rewriting the laws of astrophysics, trying to bring Jack home. And that was the rub. He wasn't Jack. Daniel wasn't turning the pages on some dusty tome for some new way to make it all better and Teal'c was not waiting stoicly for the action to bring his brother back. SG1 were not finding a way home for him because he was not Jack O'Neill. He was just an Asgard mistake, as valuable and wanted as the real O'Neill's toe, fucking, clippings. What was it that Daniel had said on the bank of the river? "I'm sorry. That's not the real anything." And he'd seen it in their eyes when they'd returned him to the SGC for the big swap to get Jack back. They would hang him out to dry at the drop of a hat, and they had, even Jack his old self, had left him without a backward look.

Stumbling over his feet Jon had left school early that day. That night he got wasted on a bottle of scotch he'd flinched from a local shop. Using his remembered experience from Jack's black op days, he'd liberated the bottle and left cash to cover the cost, then slipped back to his apartment. That evening and through the night he held a wake for himself. To all he had been, and all Jack would become, and made a conscious decision to let it all go. To let Jack go. The team, the SGC and all that had come with it.

It had taken a week to get his shit together and go back to school, but the newly born Jonathan (Jon) O'Neill, wasn't a quitter any more than the man he'd come from.

It had taken a while to assimilate to his new life, but he made an effort to get to know the natives. He learned to appreciate their culture, listen to the music and adapt to their speech patterns. But slowly he began to build himself a new life and fill it with interesting people. He went out of his way to try new things and slowly the bits that were Jack's started to fade as time went on and Jon lived his new life.

xxxx

Takes place one year after Jon's creation, Dream Scape

"I don't think that we're in Kansas any more." Jon looked around himself. All around there were tall trees and dense undergrowth. "Scarecrow are you there?" He called softly as he walked carefully forward moving along the deer path that he had been placed upon. Soon he came to a clearing, a small area of space surrounded by the trees. A low growl greeted his arrival. Looking closer he saw the shape of a huge black jungle cat, as it stalked out from the undergrowth and slowly approached him. "And here's Toto." For a second Jon wondered whether he should back away slowly or stand his ground. A laugh rich and welcoming came from behind him. Quenching the urge to swing around to face the unknown person, Jon stood frozen as the big cat continued forward until it's head was resting against the clone's leg. It took a moment before Jon realised that the rumbling and vibration that he could feel was the cat's purr.

"I think he likes you." Feeling a little more braver. Jon stroked the top of the purring feline and scratched behind it's ears.

Turning his head slowly Jon saw the guy that had spoken. He was tall, with dark brown hair, dressed in army fatigues. Clasped casually in his hand was the handle of the P90 that was slung crosswise over his shoulder. "So are you the Tin man or the Scarecrow?"

"I could be the wicked witch," was the answer.

"No. I think that they've learned not to mess with Americans and our flying houses and buckets of bone melting water."

"Of which you have none."

"It's my dream and I can tell you now that they're both on order."

"Fine. I guess I'll take Scarecrow, but that means you're Dorothy."

"Hey that means, I'm just looking for the way home, you're the one looking for a brain."

Soldier boy seemed to be thinking. "OK I can work with this, watch me spin this and work it into something profound." There was a pause. "As with the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy and Scarecrow both already had what they were looking for. It just took time and a shift in paradigm, for them to be at the right place to see it." Jon realised that the man was serious. "Just like the girl in the tale you're looking for the way back to where you think you belong. You think you should be somewhere else. Dorothy ran for the bright lights of the circus. Then when she was in OZ, she realised that she wanted a home, so she ran around looking for someone to lead her back home. But in the end her way back home was at her feet and in her heart; there for the taking and she found herself back where she started from, in the arms of Aunty Em."

"So you're saying that I just have to click my silver slippers and I'll be back with my team, saving the world again."

"No. That's not your home, that's the circus, what the old con man had. You can save the world where ever you are. And the slippers were Ruby."

"That was in the film, the book had them as silver. Dorothy was looked for, wanted and loved by her family. Aunty Em was out in those fields looking for her. Who's looking for me?" No matter that Jon tried to keep his tone light the last bit held a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"There's a book? Who knew?" Scarecrow joked, then more seriously he looked at the young boy in front of him. "Look around you, you do have a home, Dorothy. And just so you know, I am looking for you," Stated the soldier, "and when I find you, you'll find that wherever I am will be your home. It's a destiny thing." The black cat at Jon's feet purred louder and over it's head, brown eyes met brown eyes. Just before it ended Jon had the brief image of a contented white tiger cub, purring.

xxxx

"BRRRRRRing." Jon slapped the alarm clock situated precariously on the side of the headboard, and retreated back under the light summer duvet. Like many other teenagers Jon's body always wanted more sleep in the mornings. Although he remembered a time when he could put demands on his body and expect it to follow, these days the balance of power had shifted and he often spent cosy Saturday mornings wrapped up in the arms of Morpheus. "Darn it. At least it's not the barber again," he said, and throwing the duvet off he placed his bare feet onto the the floor and still half asleep, he made his way to the small adjoining shower room. Soon he was stripping off his sleepwear while he turned on the shower and stepped into the hot spray in an effort to jump start his body.

xxxx

Miles away in a Cascade, Washington, in a little cabin in the woods. Xander woke up. "Now that's new." Getting up from his camp bed and slipping out of his sleeping bag, he didn't even change from his sweats, as he made his way through the cabin to inform his temporary Shaman of the nights visions. It seemed that his know it all dream self had already forged a link with his Guide to be.

xxxx

A/N: In Season 8 it is discovered that General O'Neill had been having visions of a barber in Indiana called Joe Spencer for the last 7 years, with the barber having memories of SG1.

A/N2: Not sure how well this chapter came out, please read and review.

A/N3: I've changed the grade so that he is now in the 11th and last year he was in the 10th grade, thank you for all you reviewers who pointed out my mistake. I think that means that he has two years left including the year he's in.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Jim's flat Cascade, Washington

Detective James Ellison, walked through the small entrance area of his apartment building and made his way over to the lift. Once in the lift he repositioned the bags of groceries that he'd been carrying into a more comfortable position as he pressed the button for the forth floor. Since the camping trip over two moths ago, the younger Sentinel had been coming over regularly to talk to them both and practice the meditation exercises that Blair had been teaching him. Over the course of the two months their grocery bill had increased steeply under the demands of a large young man that was still prone to growth spurts. There was a time that Jim had been teased by Blair over his large appetite but it had since paled in comparison to Xander Harris' attempts to eat them out of house and home.

Thinking about the young man whose infectious laughter had become a regular guest in their home, Jim found himself smiling, both he and his Guide had expected the Sentinel in Jim to protest the continued closeness of the young unbonded Sentinel, if not to what Jim deemed his territory at least to his Guide. But to both of their surprises the primeval jealousy that had been there when Alex Barnes had been around, had yet to manifest itself in the case of the hardware clerk. Blair was revelling in the chance to study another Sentinel at close quarters, especially the link that seemed to exist between Xander and his "Dorothy".

It wasn't unusual to find the curly haired Guide tapping away at his laptop with new findings and theories, or chatting to Xander's friend Rupert Giles who had been introduced to them as a possible source of secret private information on Sentinels. The former librarian had been able to plunder all the watcher resources for any mention of Sentinels, all of which extended Blair current research and with each conclusion the detective reached another set of questions were born. One of Blair's theories regarding Xander's acceptance by Jim was that Jim's Sentinel didn't perceive Xander as unbonded due to the connection that had already formed between the new young Sentinel and his Guide-to-be. Another theory was that Jim saw Xander as his heir and future replacement to be trained in the way to protect the tribe.

Exiting the lift Jim made his way to his door and wasn't surprised to find it opening when he approached.  
"So what was it that you could smell, my scent or the food." He relinquished two of the bags into the waiting arms of the boy. "Hi Blair." Jim threw a greeting at the curly head of his friend as it was bent over the laptop which was perched on their new wooden coffee table. Blair waved in his direction without looking up from his work. It was good to see Sandburg doing what he loved best. He turned his attention back to Xander.

"Neither, I was using my hearing, not my nose. You have a distinctive light step for someone your size and your truck sounds different to all your neighbours cars. Have I learned well, Obi Won."

"Ah, the force is strong with this one." Jim smiled as he walked over to the kitchen island with Xander following in his wake. "I've been in the door for a whole minute and you've yet to tell me anything "amazing"about Dorothy." Jim swallowed his laugh as Xander's face was suddenly radiant. As they began putting the shopping away Xander began to fill Jim in on his phone conversations with his potential Guide.

"He's not hating the eleventh grade as much as he did tenth grade. Kathy is still trying to get him to notice her but he keeps throwing Calvin in her way and he's seeing signs that it,s working. I'd tell you he doesn't like the attention but I think the truth is that he likes to have something to keep him on his toes. Lisa was spreading rumours, because he avoids the hormones on parade gang like they carry the plague. I mean just because of that she was laying the tales that he was gay. But my man, Dorothy saw it coming and he began telling tales of a "lost love" that he had and is not yet over in the chatter-teria. He put a picture of a blonde bomb shell in his locker and I think the verdict is Dorothy 1 - Lisa Simms nil."

Jim winced at the teenage slang that migrated into the conversation when ever Dorothy's schooling was the topic of conversation. It made his head hurt. "Has he agreed to meet you yet?"

"Soon he says that it's normally deadsville at his for thanksgiving, so he'll be free for the big meet and greet in the real world."

"Oh yes our emancipated minor." A slight pause. "Thanksgiving is another couple of months away Xander, how about meeting sooner. I mean how many times have you zoned this week?"

"Not that many." At Jim's look,"Ok a few times...alright it's getting worse even with the meditation techniques I've been using. It's just there is so much to experience and before you know it I've zoned. But I'm not sure he's ready for the commitment yet. Jim he's only 16 years old."

"What does he say?"

"At first it was a bit cloak and dagger and he wouldn't tell me anything about himself, but recently I've felt him softening towards me."

"And..."

"He still won't tell me about his parents, I mean it's impossible for us to lie to each other in dream space, he still doesn't trust me 100%, he will only say that he doesn't have any. He's a emancipated minor, and he's lived on his own for a year now."

"Sounds like he's mature for his age."

"Sometimes when we're talking it's like he's like any teen. Other times it's like he's so much older offering advice and stuff. I mean he knows about home DIY and working with wood."

"This all seems good. What does he say about the bond, Xander?" Jim pushed.

"In his words, "He doesn't want anyone sneaking around in his head" I mean what secrets is he hiding anyway. He's paranoid that someone will try and possess him."

Jim thought for a moment. "Do you think that he has had crazy experiences like you? With the supernatural."

At first he and Blair had wanted to send Xander Harris for PTSD counselling, Jim had contacted a few of his old contacts but although no classified information was exchanged, he had been urged to believe the Harris boy. After this Xander had confided to the pair bits about his past and his experiences with living on the Hellmouth. It had taken time and a little proof to convince even laid the back Shaman. Xander had been forced to locate a person of the demon persuasion for them to meet before Jim would except the existence of demons. Blair had constructed a theory of a localised perception filter that worked around demons and Spirits. Xander was positive that the conversations between Giles and Blair were only in part to do with Sentinel matters and the rest was about other things that Giles dealt with and Blair bouncing various thoughts with someone who would appreciate them..

"I don't know Jim, I've told him about the Sentinel stuff but not the Sunnydale stuff."

"Does he know that how much you need to bond Xander. The dangers zoning presents to your health? If he's not willing to even think about bonding then Blair and I can start looking for other prospective Guides."

Xander shifted uncomfortably under Jim's watchful eye. "I've kinda down played the whole zoning thing."

"Xander..."

"I know but, I want him to want to bond with me because it's his choice not because he has to do it satisfy some misplaced sense of duty. I mean if the worse comes to the worse I can bond with someone else? It's not written in stone? Is it?" They both turned their head towards their Shaman who had been distracted from his laptop by the conversation between the two Sentinels.

"I don't know for sure Xander man, but you were the one who spoke about destiny. The information that I've got from the other Shamans and pairings they've spoken to is that no one has what you two already have. It's unheard of to be so close before actually meeting their Guide."

"It would save on certain Guides impersonating doctors in order to initiate contact. Right Dr McKay" Jim smiled remembering his first meeting with the force of nature that was Blair.

Throwing a grin Jim's way Blair continued "None of them could join their spirits animals before they had even met, the whole link is unique. I mean we are assuming that he is your Guide this could be any kind of soul link, but he could be your Prince charming love of your like." Blair looked up into a pair of unamused brown eyes. Hiding his smirk behind his hand he continued to talk but cut Xander some slack. "However the consensus is that your pairing is blessed by the Spirits and that you have a specific destiny to fulfil. You will be given more, because more will be demanded of you to protect the tribe."

"Oh man, not the Chosen One clause." Xander became agitated forgetting Blair's earlier comments as he remembered what Buffy had been put though when she was chosen. "Then that settles it I'm not picking him or anyone else for that matter. The whole Chosen one, gig is the shortest straw whatever and whenever the draw."

"Xander..." Started Blair, spotting that Xander was approaching Blessed Protector mode.

"No." He whirled around and shouted at Jim even though he knew that Jim would hear him at a much lower volume. "If you knew that picking Blair put him in danger what would you have done?"

"Xander, you know that since I've been with Blair there have been plenty of times that he has been in danger." Jim's quiet calm voice cut through Harris' mounting panic at the thought of the danger that he could be putting his Guide into. "Here sit." And Jim steered the young Sentinel away from the kitchen and over to the couch. "Over the years I've had ample time to ponder the question of whether being a detective and working on the force placed Blair in positions of danger he would not have been in if he were not my Guide, and the answer is Apples and Oranges." That got both of the younger men looking at him as if he were delusional. "There are times without a doubt that us being cops has put Blair in danger, however there are times when Blair has gotten into trouble for no reason but that he is who he is. There are times that Blair Sandburg was only saved because he was my bonded Guide."

"So what you're saying is that we might both be destined for danger but being together will that at least we'll have company."

"Don't knock it Xan having someone to watch your back and partner you is something I've learned makes the difference between surviving and really living. I should know, before Blair it was like I was trying so hard to hold all my senses in line and watching my own back I gave up living. It's either apples and oranges both are fruit just different types. Face destiny together or each of you on your own, you still have to your destiny." Blair was looking at Jim with pride.

"I didn't know you could be so eloquent Jim." He quipped, he then craftily looked at Xander. "There's always the chance that someone else may bond with Dorothy if you don't."

"He's my Guide, mine." Xander found himself being calmed by both Blair and Jim stoking his arms to calm the wild beast.

"Yes Xander, Dorothy is your Guide and no one's gonna take him from you man. Now tell us what's his real name?"

Xander hung his head, he'd kept the name to himself, it had taken weeks before Dorothy had trusted him with his real name and even then Xander had been required to give details of his own identity first, in order to gain the trust. His Guide had mentioned that he had some people who would run a few checks for him to verify that he wasn't some nut job, or worse. Xander knew that by telling Jim the older Sentinel would return the favour and it would be another step closer to bonding. "His name is Jonathan J. O'Neill the second. He goes to The Springs High School, in Colorado Springs and was named after his Air Force cousin, or second cousin. He was kind of vague on that no other living relatives that he knows of."

xxxx

That night Xander went to sleep with plans on how to discuss the bonding and his invitation over to Colorado Springs in a few months time, but things don't always progress as they were planned.

Dream scape

Xander stood looking around the clearing, but he was alone. Over in the undergrowth he heard a mournful mewing. Crouching down he parted the leaves and saw the small white tiger cub curled way over in the back on seeing him the cub moved towards him then it stopped to sniff the air. Suddenly a malevolent hiss came from the area behind the cub and a giant snake reared up and bit the white tiger. Xander stood frozen as the tiger was thrown several feet by the force of the snake. As Xander looked the tiger slowly transformed from the white tiger cub to the brown-blond teen the young Sentinel had spent the last few months getting to know. The jungle shook with the roar of the black panther, wild with impotent rage.

"Oh my God, Jon...Jon...JON!" Xander woke shouting his Guide's name. After making a series of calls Xander working on autopilot threw his thing in bags and in 30 minutes he had jumped into his trusted car and was pointing it towards Kings County Airport.

xxxx

"Ellison."Jim was first up to answer the phone as it rang out in the night. Picking up he was surprised that it wasn't the voice of Captain Simon Banks from the station but a young Sentinel in full Blessed Protector mode.

"Jon's in danger, Jim. Someone's going to kill my Guide."

"Xander breath slowly, who's after Jon."

"I don't know it was in the dream Jim. It was a snake it came from no where and killed the white tiger and then the tiger was Jon. He was dead Jim, dead. I just got this gut feeling that it's gonna be soon. Tell Blair. I'm on my way to the airport."

"Ok, Xander are you sure the dream meant, that he's in danger?" But Jim knew that it would have had to been some dream to flip a Sentinel into full BP mode. "Forget I said that, we'll follow you to the airport. Destination Colorado Springs, The Springs' High School." He waited for the grunt of confirmation. "Don't worry he'll be alright." With that Jim disconnected the call to allow Xander to concentrate on his driving, and to make other calls to smooth Xander's and their own way. The first one was to his Captain Simon Banks who would give them the backing they needed to deal with the Colorado Sheriffs department and the high school. Between them they were quick to create a believable cover story.

A/N: Thank you all for your encouragement so far.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**The Springs' High School, Colorado**

"I'm so getting that lying, conniving little bitch." The group of eleventh graders sat on the steps of the school.

"Calm down Kathy, we'll get her back. Team work remember, we're getting so that bitch." Jon wrapped his arms loosely around the shoulders of the short brunette girl in front of him.

"Yeah. All for one, Kath." Said Gavin, a tall and gangly youth that had been Jon's friend even in the wilderness year of last year, where Jon had been going through the trauma of being a teen again.

The war between them and "that Simms," as she was called had entered a heated running battle. With the two sides evenly matched in smarts and cunning. This week there had been a spattering of practical jokes and a fast rumour mungering element that currently had Sasha Collins, Lisa's best friend, a low class hooker for the football team and that Jon's group were all members in some sort of weird religious cult.

Since he'd allowed himself to morn the past and thrown himself into High School, he'd been living the pointless teen life to the full. He treated the political ebb and flow of High School in the same way as he did the times that he had been in hostile territory, only without the C4. Knowing that this really was the only time that he would probably be this carefree, instead of playing the waiting game he'd been doing for the first 6 months since he'd been created, he was living it in full technicolour.

"I know just how to show her not to mess with us." Said one of the Colonel Reynold's twins, Jennifer and Kerry. He'd nicknamed them Tweedle and evil Dee soon after meeting them because of their ability to create organised mayhem at the drop of a hat.

"You always have a plan that's why you're evil Dee," said Gavin.

"Of course that's all the two of them do, plan mayhem. While we innocents are asleep in our beds those two are plotting." Jon always loved ragging the Reynold's they had a great sense of humour.

"You, innocent, my cute hiney." Tweedle giggled, "I remember the inching powder."

"Shh, if anyone found out who that was I'd be strung up."

"And the dye," Calvin added,

"Fifth amendment."

"Pictures of Tom the quarterback, on his back."

"No comment. But in answer to your case against me I will just say two words. Operation Slug." The six youngsters looked at each other and continued to laugh. "It's the quiet one's you have to watch." Gavin blushed as the others gave him a knowing look, he'd surprised all of them not least himself with that stunt.

"Anyway as I was saying before mouthy interrupted me." She leaned over and slapped Jon on the back of the head lightly. "I think I have a plan that will get them back for this mornings prank on our dear Kathy."

Even though they were a year younger than their peers and had only been moved-up a grade at the start of this academic period, Jennifer and Kerry fit in perfectly. They were the 15 year old daughters of Jack's second in command at the mountain. At first he'd avoided mingling with them and others anxious to avoid contact with reminders of his past life. When he had planned to return to school with General Hammond and the then Colonel O'Neill, he had mentally been aware that he would be going to school with the children of the people he knew from Cheyenne Mountain but the experience had still been startling. However the new Jon, although keeping away from their parents with careful manoeuvring, he had made friends with some of them. It was better than he had expected, he found that by not visiting certain homes, but frequenting others that even though it brushed with Jack's life, being friends with the twins and other military children didn't bring him into awkward meetings with people who'd left him behind.

Jon listened with one ear as they laid down the strategy and planned the twelfth graders' payback. As he sat with his arms still around the fuming Kathy, he nudged her to the side so that she was now leaning against her African American boyfriend Calvin. Juvenile though it maybe, this was the life, this was his life.

.............

**Later that day**

"Hey, Simms." Jon called and then was quick to look down when the target looked his way. Splat, someone sitting over by the wall had let fly with the universal fling friendly food, mash potatoes. It landed squarely on the back of her head. As the rest of her twelfth grader group were slow to react to the situation more food joined the first volley. Then in a co-ordinated effort more food came flying from around the room aimed at her and the group around her. It wasn't long before there was some retaliation and many innocent bystanders were brought into the fray. It was at this point that the second part of the plan was executed and ducking out of the medley of food, the instigators left the scene of the crime. Quickly they swapped their lunch covered clothes with clean ones that they had prepared in their bags. The best part of any plan was the retreat strategy. And there right on time Principal Young, stormed into the high school cafeteria to restore order.

"It's an oldie but goodie," quipped Evil Dee, as they stood casually against the lockers as the unfortunate group were marched through the hall way to the detention hall.

"Oh, Tom what have you done now?" whispered Calvin, as the big football captain was led away.

"Hey Conner, maybe you should try a bib next time," was Jon's shot.

"Lisa, that ensemble is so not you," Tweedle's smirk was dripping with evil glee.

"You'll get yours," whispered one of the Principal's captives as they swept past. The eleventh graders laughed, it wouldn't have been fun if it was any other way.

"We so rock."

"Totally," agreed Jon,"this is the most fun I've had since err... yesterday." As payback went today's adventure, had been simple quick and effective.

"And the day's not over yet."

"Don't remind me, I've still got Cummings," moaned Jon, "that guy seriously creeps me out."

"Only because he's big with the back-seat mothering now he knows that you're like parent less. His hearts in the right place though, not like Bailey who watches you like a hawk. I mean your way less deviant than most of the flakes around here."

"Yeah I know, it's just if I hear one more time, 'If there's anything I can help you with, Jon.' 'I'm always here to listen, Jon.' 'I want us to be friends, Jon.' I'm gonna heave big time. And what's it with the hands, he's always with the touching. I so not big on the hugging."

There were various shrugs around the group, Jon's emancipated minor status sometimes brought out the mothering instinct in the female teachers. But daily exposure to his snarky witt and confident demeanour tended to deflect the mothering aspect, as the boy came across as too independent and maverick for it. But Mr Cummings was hanging in there, and although Jon found it annoying it was better than the other people who assumed that he was on his way to Juvie Hall.

Amid chatter and giggles the group moved onto the History classroom and selecting their usual seats at the back and to the side of the room, the other seats were soon taken up with their classmates.

"Afternoon class." Came the bright tenor of Mr Cummings. There was various replies from the group as they settled down. "There's been a change in plans for this weekends class camping trip. Due to the food fight in the cafeteria this afternoon, we will no longer be accompanied by the twelfth graders. It will be a smaller group of just those 15 of you, whose parents have given permission, and therefore the number of teachers will be reduced. You maybe pleased to note that Miss Taylor, Mr Davidson and I will be your chaperones. I'm sure that you'll all be sad to know that Principal Young is now too busy with the weekend detention she requires the miscreants of the lunch time fiasco to attend." With this Cummings shot a surprisingly knowing look at the pupils in Jon's corner. It was met with blank innocent faces that butter wouldn't melt in. "The school bus will be picking us up at 8.30 sharp, if you are not there at this time you will not get another chance to work for the extra credit. Now turn in your text books to page 103, Native American customs and beliefs...."

With the sound of turning pages The Springs' High School, history class turned to the task of reading and learning.

....

**Jon's Apartment Colorado Springs**

Jon stood at the window watching the light rain fall against the pane. It was a peaceful accompaniment to his wandering thoughts, he'd spent the last quarter of an hour throwing a bag together for tomorrows class trip. It was after school and as usual the gang had all congregated at his place for some study time and to generally hang out.

"Hey we're out of potato chips," came a voice from the living area. Throwing on a jumper against the cool fall air. Jon joined the rest.

"How about something proper to eat?" Jon crossed over to the kitchen area and started rummaging around in the cupboards. "We got enough for a risotto, an early dinner."

"Cool." Calvin was going through another growth spurt and was always hungry.

"Ok. But if you want dessert you're going to have to pick something up, we've got nothing now." Evil Dee gave the group a stare, the others had a habit of eating and not replacing.

"Ice cream." Tweedle jumped up and began herding Calvin and Gavin to the door while grabbing Jon's car keys off their hook.

"Pecan pie." Kathy followed them out the door glad for the study break. In five seconds the only sounds that could be heard were the sounds of gentle rain and the music from the CD player in the background.

"Would you like some help?"

"Sure another pair of hands wont go amiss."

After Kerry had started washing the rice while Jon began preparing the vegetables. "So anything new?"

"Huh?"

"Anything new? You know a girlfriend...or boyfriend?"

"No. Err why do you ask?"

"Some thing's different Jon, we've all noticed."

Looking around Jon caught the clue bus. "Oh so that's why ice cream takes four people."

"Well duh, so you might as well spill they've got orders not to come back until I send a text."

"Evil Dee strikes again."

"Another perfect scheme so you stop stalling, I've got all evening."

"I don't know what to say I haven't got a girl friend and you know I don't swing the other way, it's just I've got a pen friend." Jon tried to contain his laugh at Kerry's nonplussed expression. "Well not so much as pen, but email and telephone friend."

"A pen friend? You're trying to convince me that you've been happier for the last two months because of a pen friend. I'm not buying it." Jon sighed the older twin was always hard to put off the scent. Secretly he hoped that she would follow her father into the military she was smart, sharp and had a bark to rival any officers.

"It's probably a little more involved than a simple pen friend but that's all it is at the moment. It's just that it's nice you know." Looking at Kerry as she put the rice on to boil Jon decided to open the door a little more. "Kes, alright you want the 411? There are possibly six people in this world that would give a shit if I died tomorrow." Kerry made to interrupt. "Ahh, let's not mess with bull shit," he shushed her. "I'm an emancipated minor with no living family apart from a second cousin whom I have not had any contact with since he dropped me off to school a year ago. You five are the closest I've got to family and I'm not sure what's going to happen when we all go off to college."

"Then we'll go to the same college." Kerry snapped.

"You can't know that."

"Yes Jon yes I can. I can make up my own mind and of this minute it's made up."

"Don't you wanna talk it though with the others with Tweedle?"

"She'll understand and they will agree with me if they know what's good for them. I'm their best friend I should know and we've getting off topic." There was a pause, "the others will be getting wet out there..."

"We'll talk about college again it is not sorted," but privately he knew when the Reynold's girls had decided on something they were rarely dissuaded. "Alright two months ago I was contacted by this guy who had been prompted to contact me though his local Shaman." Jon twisted certain facts to make them more believable. "I know I had him pegged for a nut job too, but I've gotten to know him and you know how you get me? Well he gets me too." Turning around he was not quite prepared for the amount of anger in his friends face.

"Jonathan O'Neill you have lost your f-ing little mind. Let me get this straight some guy contacts you out of the blue, because his weed high pimp tells him to get cosy with a minor. By your own admission children like you have few connections that would kick up a stink if they went missing." Kerry grabbed her phone and began dialling.

"Hey, who are you calling?"

"My dad he knows people and we'll get this creep before he gets any more gullible ..."

"No stop." Jon snatched the phone and snapped it shut. This was getting out of hand. "I'll tell you more but it's just between the two of us no one else." Jon watched as a fuming Kerry stood with her arms folded tight but she did give him a tight nod to continue. The link between Xander and himself wasn't classified he could tell her and no body at the Mountain need know this was a Jon thing not a Jack thing. And anyway he rationalised it's not as if Jack had told anyone about Joe Spencer. "He didn't contact me via the internet he does now but at first we just talked in our dreams."

"Jon I'm not..."

"It's true and it's not the first time this sort of thing has happened to me but no one must know not even the others it's just between the two of us. We're kinda like linked and after a while he gave me his details and I asked Jack to check him out. We exchanged phone numbers and it's been building like that slowly. I'm not an idiot you know."

"Three of us."

"What?"

"Jenny, I'll tell my sister." Yes Jon thought the military wouldn't know what hit it if the Reynold sisters answered Uncle Sam's call.

"Alright. Let's get the others back and in from the rain. When the rest of them have gone home I'll tell you about Xander. As I said I've already asked Jack to run a security check on him."

"Your cousin?" Kerry didn't hide the fact that she thought that her dad's boss was negligent in his care for Jon, disdain dripped from her lips any time his name cropped up. "What did he come up with?"

"Well if there was anything urgent he would have contacted me by now."

"I'll get dad to do it," she sighed exasperated.

"Kes..."

"It's non-negotiable." General Reynolds the youngest general in the service, Jon thought. "I'll cook up some story like the one you gave me without the whole dream link.

"I don't know it didn't work too well with you."

"Oh Jon boy, Jon boy I'm much better at spinning tales than you are it'll be fine and it's going to happen anyway so you might as well stop whining and give in gracefully."

"Send the text B atch," laughing she called the wet teens back.

After dinner they finished of their study session. Well they tended to study Jon often just briefly re-read the material and completed his assignments within a few hours of them being given out. He remembered enough from his previous reincarnation and writing the detailed military reports as Jack had helped him more than he'd been aware. The offshoot of it was that his school work took no time at all. In truth he could easily have been advanced a year or two when he had first started but at first it was the physiological shock of coming back to his former self's teenage place of hell, that kept him from getting through high school at the accelerated pace. Then it was because he had become friends with the group that he was with, what would be the point hurrying through academia just to be alone in college or wherever he ended.

It was with two of his good friends that after dropping the others back home, he sat down with Tweedle and Evil Dee and told them all about Scarecrow aka Xander Harris and the weirdness that this link between them had started.

Xxx

**Still Jon's Apartment**

Friday night Jonathan was awoken out of a deep sleep with the ringing of his cell phone. Picking it up without opening his eyes he groaned before flipping the damn thing open. "O'Neill," he groaned sleepily. It took a moment for him to realise that he had an agitated Scarecrow on the phone line.

They had exchanged contact numbers and email addresses when the dream space they both shared had become a regular occurrence. Even though the second dream had not contained the older know-it all soldier but Xander the dreams had continued. The big black jungle cat, which he had found out was a panther was always there when Jon slept and sometimes the white tiger cub made an appearance but it was always fleeting.

"Hang on, I'm not getting this, what snake?" Jon was a little more awake now that the panic from the other guy was more evident. He listened again to the dream that the Sentinel had experienced. "OK, OK so because of this dream you believe that I'm in danger somehow. But you don't know when or how?"

"Just stay in your flat. I'll be there in the afternoon tomorrow and I can..."

"Whoo, there, Scarecrow. Let's think this through logically. First of all you don't know that I really am in danger, it could be some bad cheese. Secondly even if you are right, you don't know what the danger is. And thirdly you don't know whether staying puts me in more danger not less."

"Listen to me Dorothy, I..."

"And we've never met, so although you and I have this weird mind meld connection, I'm not going to let a man I've never met run my life. The jury's still out on the fact that you may just be crazy."

"It's my job to protect you."

"Yeah, again with the crazy talk. We've had this discussion before Xander, I can look after myself. Have been for years and will continue to do so."

"I'm leaving now, just stay in the flat until I can get to you."

"Not the boss of me Xan. Now I'll take precautions, I'll be armed, but until you can give me more details, I'll live my life as I choose. It's only a camping trip for all you know I'm in danger from Lisa Simms gang on Monday when they blame me for today's payback and string me up by my unmentionables."

"Jon..."

"Night Xan keep off the cheese if it's blue don't listen to anyone it's still mould, get some sleep and go sand some wood in the morning." With that Jon snapped the phone closed and pulled the duvet back over his head, at least the Indiana barber had never phoned him. He swore a few minutes later as he turned on the light and checked the flat to make sure it was secure and retrieved his knife from it's place in the drawer and placed it under his pillow. Flippant he maybe, but stupid he wasn't.

A/N In season 8 of Stargate it is discovered that Jack has been sharing his thoughts with Joe Spencer a barber from Indiana, for the last 8 years.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Colorado Springs, Colorado**

The following morning was bright and beautiful, as the children gathered around the school bus. Tossing their camping gear into a pile, ready to be loaded into the buses hold. Jon shouldered his smaller holdall, as he clambered with Gavin onto the vehicle. Soon the other kids had joined them with the usual jostling and friendly pushing the class settled, as the three teachers came on board. Ms Taylor looked around at her charges.

"OK, listen up grade eleven. On this list you have the days itinerary," she said as she passed out pamphlets. "I'm sure that I need not remind you that you are to be on your best behaviour. We will be going to the Mountain camp site, where we will use the facilities to set up camp, you will need to work together as a team to gather fire wood and set up all of the tents. This afternoon you will be split up into three groups of five and you will go on a 5 km hike, along the nature trails. Gather items that will support your History assignment. You will then return to base camp. You will remain in your groups to cook the evening meal, around three camp fires and then there will be free time. Turn over the page." There was soft rustling as the students turned over the pages for day two's activities. "Sunday morning you will be up and ready at 7.30 and no later. Breakfast and then we will move to the lake, for water sports. Lunch will be at 1 o'clock and again you will be responsible for cooking. We aim to be back on the bus for 2 o'clock. Back to school by 3."

As Ms Taylor continued to state the behaviour, she wanted to see during the camp out, Jon tuned her out and looked out the bus window keeping a look out for anything unusual. So far all he'd seen, was what he would expect to see on any other fall Saturday morning. Popping his ipod earphones into his ears, he settled down in his seat, to enjoy the journey.

xxx

**Star Gate Command**

The alarm blared, the red light flashed and armed military personnel poured into the hallways of the SGC. General O'Neill stood in front of the cell, that used to hold the Goa'uld prisoner Ha'dad. Two of his men lay dead at his feet and there was no sign that their captive was still in the facility.

"General, Sir." Jack turned around to look in the face of his reliable second in command, Colonel Reynolds.

"Report," Jack snapped.

"There are teams sweeping levels, 3 and 4 still, but the other sweepers have all reported in. It looks like the prisoner has escaped the compound."

"Why do Saturday's have the habit of going FUBAR?"

"Because we all grew up kicking black cats, while walking under ladders?"

Jack's answering smirk held very little humour. "Get all the SG teams together, we're going to have to sweep the mountain. Call in the K9 units and all SF personnel, hell put the cleaners on standby if you have to. I want the situation contained and this problem resolved ASAP. Put the gate on lock down, just in case he doubles back on us. No one is to go out the gate. I only want off world SG teams returning and once they're through the infirmary, get them out there searching. I want those teams that are already on base, out in 10 and those that are being recalled, out in 30." Jack sighed. "I'm going to inform the President that we have a foothold situation of our own making." With that he left the Colonel to carry out his orders.

"Jack, wait up."

Without turning or slowing Jack continued to sweep through the corridors, on his way to his office. "Daniel, I don't have time for this."

"I know Jack. It's just we couldn't have known. If the information that he was selling was right, regarding the new threat to Earth, then we had to hear it out."

"But it wasn't Daniel, and now there is a Goa'uld on the loose, that we know nothing about, other than it's goal was to gain a foothold on this planet."

"Jack..." Daniel broke off, he had nothing else to say that would help.

"See you up top in 10," was Jack's quiet reply, as he stepped into the lift.

xxx

**The Springs' High School**

Principal Sherry Young, looked at the three men in front of her. They each looked tired and she suspected that they'd spent the night in their clothes. "So Detective Ellison, you believe that there is a chance that someone means harm to a student, attending my school."

"Yes Ma'am. There is reason to believe that Mr O'Neill maybe in danger."

Blair continued, "there has been an anonymous tip off, that we believe is genuine, that indicates a real threat to Jonathan O'Neill's safety. I've spoken with Sheriff Long and he agreed to work with Casscade PD on the issue. They were kind enough to check his apartment for us, but he wasn't there and it's been suggested that he may have left on a school weekend outing."

"Yes. O'Neill is just one of fifteen students, that have been given the chance to earn extra credit camping on the mountain."

"Here's a list of the other students and their teachers." She handed them over a list. "I can call them to notify the teachers to return to the school tonight."

The curly haired partner shook his head, "there is no need to change everyone's plans, Sherry. If you can contact the teachers to let them know to expect us, we'll drive up to the camp site and take the boy into protective custody."

"Of course. Are you sure my other students are safe?"

"At the moment we are only sure that there is a threat to O'Neill, however the local Sheriff's office, has agreed to increase the number of patrols in the area and we'll keep you notified of any updates in the situation."

"Jonathan is a well liked student," she hesitated for a second, "is he in any trouble with the police?"

Jim was quick to reassure her, "as far as we know Jon is an upstanding member of the community. I'm sure that the danger that he is in is of no fault of his own."

"He does come from a military background, before they were killed, I believe his parents worked overseas." It was clear that the Principal was fishing for further information.

"I'm sorry, but I can't speculate at this time, however I'm sure we'll speak again to arrange the exchange of his assignments, while he is in protective custody." The three of men stood, eager to locate the endangered school child.

"Thank you. Detective Ellison and Detective Sandburg," she said as also stood. She reached to shake their hands, "and Alexander Harris wasn't it." She touched the hand of the quiet third gentleman, who had been introduced as a police observer. She was met with a firm grasp and she found herself looking into intense brown eyes, that for some reason made her shiver, with the wildness that churned around in the depths. This man was more wolf than puppy.

"Good day Principal Young. Thank you for assistance," and then he was striding quickly out of her office and the three gentlemen were gone.

xxx

**Outside SGC, Cheyenne Mountain range**

"General O'Neill." Jack turned away from the troops he was co-ordinating, towards the voice of Louis Ferretti.

"Colonel."

"I've just had word from the Sheriff's office, they already have extra patrols around the mountain forest area It appears they have reason to believe, that there is a threat to one of the students, from The Springs' High School. Apparently, there are students at the local mountain camp site for the weekend. This morning there were messages from a Captain Banks, of Cascade PD, that informed them that two of his Detective's and their observer, were already on route. On their way to put the student in protective custody."

"Two Detective's from Washington?"

"Yes, and an observer. Their names are Detective James Ellison and Detective Blair Sandburg, with an Alexander Harris."

Jack paused for a second. "That name rings a bell."

"That's not the strangest part, the student in danger is one Jonathan O'Neill."

"I tell ya, FUBAR Saturdays. How the hell did trouble from Cascade find him? That's a stretch even for me...him...mini-me," Jack brushed his hand through his short grey hair. " So we have one Goa'uld, two detectives, one observer, a class full of students, numerous deputy sheriffs, my clone and a mysterious hostile element, all out in the forest around the base today?"

Louis winced. "Yes, Sir and Reynold's daughters and Lieutenant Coven's son, are part of this particular eleventh grade class."

"Alright, get Reynolds here, he can..."

"Sir, he's already out with SG3, sweeping the hills down, it's just SG1 that is yet to go out."

"Fine." This was the last thing he needed, a meeting with his clone. "SG1 and I will go make nice with the civilians and secure the area around them. You carry on with your liaison with the local sheriffs, if they're in the area anyway, let's use them to cover more ground, but tell them that under no circumstances are they to approach the escapee. Let them know, that he is armed and extremely dangerous." He moved away from the temporary command centre and walked towards his old team, well he had to get something good out of today. A walk among the trees, with SG1, might just be the only highlight of this day. "Carter."

"Yes, Sir."

"Apparently, we have a class of high school student's, running around the forest today. Including some of the SGC's own offspring. Let's move out." With that the premier team moved swiftly through the trees, in the direction of the mountain's camp site. They fell into the pattern they'd used on many a planet. O'Neill at point, Daniel with Carter in the middle and Teal'c bringing up the rear. Even with the grim news of the Goa'uld out on their mountain, there was a slight spring in their steps. The full team together again, it felt good to them all.

xxx

**Somewhere in the forest**

The afternoon sun shone brightly, as the hidden figure, slipped almost silently from tree to tree. He clutched the weapon, that he'd taken from the fallen guards. His plan had been simple and straight forward. Gain access to the Tauri home world, then disappear into the masses, slowly gaining in power and prestige. Destroying the Tauri from within. He rubbed one hand, over the pouch in his stomach, where he had hidden his Goa'uld Queen. Soon this world would be theirs.

Ha'dad scowled, he had been unprepared for the number of uniformed personnel, in the vicinity around him. Hemming him in, so that his flight, to one of their over populated cities, was obstructed. He needed a way, to force his escape, through their lines. Moving onwards, he moved stealthily ,through the trees and undergrowth. Listening carefully for signs of discovery, he heard the sound of laughter. Swearing, in Goa'uld, he began to adjust his trajectory and then he stopped. That wasn't adult voices, they were higher indicating youth. A cunning smile lit his cruel lips, the Tauri were famous for their weakness for their children. Moving quicker and with more purpose than before, Ha'dad moved in the direction of the laughter. He'd just found his way out.

xxx

**Mountain Camp Site**

Peter Cummings walked towards the three men, that had entered their camp. He and the other teacher's, had discussed the phone call, that they had gotten from the school's principal and decided to continue with the camping trip, as scheduled. Transfer Jon, over to the detectives, when they arrived, to cut down on any anxiety, that Jon's predicament would have on the other students. O'Neill was a popular student, with strong ties to the rest of the group, his good humour and big brother ways, had inaugurated him, with most of the school. Even members of the opposing gang, respected the wisecracking lad. The public face of the staff was one of strict adherence to the rules, but in private the misadventures of Simms versus the eleventh graders, amused them all. The betting pool, was just for fun, although anyone betting against Sherry Young normally lost, that woman had a sixth sense, where her students were concerned.

"Detective..." he said, holding out his hand, to the first man to reach him.

"Ellison." The man pointed to his right, "this is Detective Blair Sandburg and..." pointing to his left, "this is our observer Alexander Harris." Both Detective's pulled out their badges, for the teacher to verify.

"I'm Peter Cummings, Jon's History teacher. I must say this is a most bizarre situation, do you know who would want to hurt one of my students? I mean he's not got any close family, that I know of. In fact, he's our only emancipated minor. I feel kind of responsible for him, to be honest, we're quite close. I think he looks upon me as a kind of older friend."

"In your dreams." Two pairs of Sentinel ears, picked up the soft spoken comment from behind them. Turning they saw two more adults approaching them. Jim nudged Blair.

"Ms Taylor and Mr Davidson I presume," Blair greeted them as they approached.

"Yes. We've kept the students near the camp site, collecting firewood for the afternoon meal. We didn't know when you'd be arriving, so we let them continue with that task."

Davidson moved closer to ask quietly, "are you sure that there is no danger to the other students?"

"We'll take a look around, but the tip off we received was specific to Jonathan O'Neill." Jim was very thankful for the co-operation of his captain. Without his help, there was no way that they would have been able to pull the strings that were necessary. The phone calls to the county's Sheriff's office, the visit to the school and the power to place the stubborn Guide in protective custody. Even against Jon's wishes, if need be. He had the power to bring the boy to Cascade and protect him, at the loft apartment. Well potential Guide, he amended silently to himself. Just then, he heard the approach of many heavy adult foot steps. Focusing his hearing slightly, he managed to pick up the sound of four separate heart beats.

Pulling his gun from it's holster, Jim moved to cover the teachers. At the same time, he alerted his Guide to the possible hostile situation. "Heads up Blair. Get down," he said to the three teachers. Xander moved over to the far side, instinct urging him to spread out, in order to offer a harder target.

xxx

General O'Neill walked around the bend to the camp site and found himself facing two armed men. Not making any sudden moves. Still holding his P90, but not aiming to shoot, he allowed the men to see, his back up come out of the woods beside him.

"Cascade, PD. State your name and purpose." Sharp Sentinel eyes saw the tell tale signs of the interlopers relaxing.

"Detective's Ellison and Sandburg, I presume. I'm General Jack O'Neill and this is my team. We've come. as a precautional measure, to protect this group of students, from an escapee. We believe him to be in this vicinity."

"O'Neill, as in Jon's cousin," clarified Peter Cummings, from his place on the ground. Everyone relaxed, as the two detective's lowered and re-holstered their weapons, as the military personnel identified themselves. That was until a group of students came running from out of the forest, yelling. Time seemed to slow down for Xander, as he was able to distinguish the various cries.

"He's got Jon, this man, he's hurting Jon."

Before anyone else could react, Xander's hearing had homed in on the sounds of struggle and the Blessed Protector, born and bred on the Sunnydale Hellmouth, moved with deadly speed, into the trees. The reasoning mind of Xander Harris took a back seat and left just the primeval force of the Sentinel, in Blessed Protector mode.

A/N Please review.

A/N1: I've tried harder with the punctuation and the grammar, but I'm looking for a beta for my next work. Please send me an email if you would like to help.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Out in the Forest close to the camp site

Evil Dee, laughed as she saw Jon dropping some sort of spider down the back of Gavin's neck.

"O'Neill you Bastard." Gavin Collins swung around, trying to get the offending arachnid out of his top. Objective achieved, he dived at Jon in a surprise tackle, which ended with them both rolling around on the ground. Stuffing hands full of vegetation, grabbed from the forest floor, into each others clothes. They were soon joined by Calvin and the three girls, as they joined in the free for all.

"Stop, or I'm gonna pee myself," came a voice from the bottom of the pile, weak from laughing. This had them all falling around in hysterics until they were breathless on the floor.

" Jonathan O'Neill you have no shame," came a gasped reply.

"Jennifer Reynolds you love me anyway," came an equally breathless voice.

"So how much wood have we collected so far?" Asked Tweedle AKA Jennifer.

"Two baskets full," was Evil Dee's answer.

"Plenty of time for more of this then." That heralded another bout of pointless leaf throwing and floor rolling. Eventually they calmed ad started to straighten out their clothing and brush the leaves from their hair.

"Have you noticed, that the old's are giving you some really strange looks?" Kathy said to Jon, as they resumed their search for dry wood.

"I try not to notice Cummings, but now that you mention it, Taylor and Davidson have been a little bit weird, since the phone call from Principal Young. I guess Simms said something, or started something, we'll find out soon enough. I'm not gonna have a cow." Jon shrugged his shoulders, his favourite act since being shrunk. It went well with the new body, the raised eyebrow was too subtle for his new audience, instead he'd invested in a whole wardrobe full or smirks and sneers.

"Yeah, but.."

"You worry too much Kath."

"But Mr O'Neill maybe she has reason to worry." The teenagers all turned to see the owner of the new voice. A large man carrying a gun in his hands stepped out of the shadows.

"Oh crap," said Jon, as the man's eyes flashed gold. Scarecrow was right, he thought, there was a snakehead in the grass after all. The man strode forward confidently to stand in front of Jon.

"You will escort me out of these woods and to a mode of suitable transport, or I will kill your friends. Do not give me any trouble, O'Neill. You are the child of the General O'Neill of SG1?" Jon stood looking the snake in the eye, hoping not to draw attention to Kathy, who was edging behind the man with the half filled basket of fire wood still in her arms.

"Jack's my cousin."

"Arrh." Jon found himself thrown to the ground, by the force of the punch, that slammed into his chest.

"Then that will help you understand the situation. Your cousin is known for his disrespect, I hope that you do not suffer from the same stubbornness." Jon coughed and wasn't surprised to see blood. His sixteen year old body wasn't strong enough yet to take the punishment a Goa'uld could give out.

"Then you're in for a disappointment," he gasped as he struggled to his feet, "Tortured one O'Neill and you've been mocked by them all." The Goa'uld's face became an ugly grin, as he moved forward to bring this child to it's knees. He was so focused on the insolent brat before him, he wasn't aware of the female behind him, until he felt the impact of the large weighty basket, against his back.

It was the surprise rather than the load that brought Ha'dad to his knees. Jon seeing his chance, pulled the hidden knife from his boot and threw himself at his foe. "Run," he yelled at the others, "run and get help." The others sped off in the direction of camp, as Jon struggled to bring his arm around to wound the Goa'uld again with his knife. But the Goa'uld was large and strong and very, very pissed. The Goa'uld gave a seemingly nonchalant twist, and Jon cried out as his wrist was broken and the knife fell uselessly to the floor.

Kerry stood frozen for a second, as she saw Jon keep the guy occupied, so the others could reach safety. Feeling a rage she had never known before, she threw herself into the fray. Jon seeing his friend coming to help cried out, "Kerry no." The Goa'uld arrogantly threw his arm out with force and she was thrown backwards into a nearby tree. With a sickening crunch she crumpled to the ground.

"I see that I will have to teach you to obey your God." The eyes flashed gold once more and then Jon too, fell under the onslaught of the arrogant alien.

...

The Sentinel, that had once been Xander Harris, ran swiftly though the trees. The enraged panther within, was screaming for him to protect his Guide, as the evening breeze carried the scent of blood and fear. He didn't hesitate as he burst through the trees and came upon the man standing above the battered body. Ha'dad turned as he heard the growl of a wild animal behind him and Xander was upon him in an instant. All rational thought had been lost in the first sounds of Jon being hurt and only the Sentinel remained. A dark Sentinel the likes of which the world had yet to see. There was no pithy exchange of words, there was just un-restrained violence, as the threat to his tribe and Guide was torn limb from limb. In the hundreds of years that Ha'dad had lived he had very rarely if ever felt fear. It would be the last emotion that he would ever experience as he felt his flesh torn from his body, and he was flung about like a straw doll.

...

In a dark basement library, in England, far away from the natural light of day. The book of the Sentinel's glowed eerily. The time had come again for the Sentinel's of Earth to protect the people's from their enemies. It was destined after all.

xxx

In Sunndale, California

Buffy turns. In slow-motion, she runs down the platform as Dawn stays there crying.  
Buffy swan-dives off the end of the platform and into the portal.

xxx

Cheyenne Mountain Forest

It took a moment for SG1 and the detectives to sort out what was going on and Xander had already gone ahead to engage the man that had attacked the students. Samantha Carter took out her radio and called in their location.

"Jim, Xander may need our help," Blair said. Nodding his head in agreement Jim ran to follow the young Sentinel who was obviously in full Blessed Protector mode. Using his heightened senses Jim moved steadily through the forest the way that Xander had gone easily tracking the known scent with Blair not far behind.

"Sir." Jack looked up at Carter's call and he saw that the three men had already run on ahead.

"FUBAR, absolute FUBAR." He muttered under his breath than glancing at the group that were all huddled together, he snapped, "teachers stay here with the kids." With a quick military signal, he indicated for SG1 to follow Jim and Blair. This time Teal'c took the lead as he tracked the path that Xander and the Cascade detectives had taken.

The scene that confronted them was like that of a horror film. The six people watched, as the Goa'uld, that had threatened the SGC children, was torn asunder. Xander moved with the deadly skill, born of the soldier he had once been possessed by and the power of the panther Sentinel. It was like a dance, a lethal ballet of destruction. The Goa'uld stood no chance, even though it had been armed, it had not got off a single shot before it was set upon.

Then there was silence except for the panting of the man in front of them. Linguistic Daniel said the first thing that came to lips and a string of Sumerian swear words fell from his lips. Dark brown eye's looked up and caught Daniel's shocked blue ones. "There is a lady present you know."

This comment seemed to mobilise the rest of SG1 and Jack signalled for team to move in, to capture Xander. As SG1 moved in Teal'c was the first one to lay a hand on the young man. Xander, still lost in Blessed Protector mode, with a lightning quick move disarmed the Jaffa and pushed him directly into the path of Colonel Carter and Jack. Before they had gained their balance, more fast passes had disarmed their P90s by unclipped the magazines and he then flipped them into the bushes. Daniel had yet to close his mouth, before he was similarly disarmed as well. It was hard for Xander to pull back the Sentinel, with the smell of blood in the air, it had been hard to just disarm them and not hurt them.

"I do not mean you harm, I am not your enemy, or do you always attack before you are aware of the facts. Please don't try it again or I will find it hard not to neutralise your threat to me and mine in a more permanent manner." A slight movement from the body, as it lay forgotten, was all the warning anyone got. The Goa'uld Queen, which had survived the destruction of Ha'dad hidden within the body, chose that moment to fly up and straight at the Sentinel.

"Surely this is a Hok'taur, an advanced host," it thought as it lunged, "I will possess it." In the next instant the Queen was speared by Jon's knife, no one had seen Xander move or throw the knife. Again there was strained silence, until Blair moved to approach Xander, but found his way was blocked by Jim.

Softly Sandburg said to his Sentinel, "Jim it's still just Xander. Xander won't hurt me Big guy."

"The Xander you know has never had to deal with this situation, Chief. Humour me and talk to him safely, from behind me."

"Xander, can you hear me? We have to help Jon and the young girl, Xander they need medical help." Both he and Jim were glad to see the thinking, reasoning Xander return, and the dark Sentinel sink back down from whence he'd come. The young man turned and knelt by the fallen body of his Guide.

"We need to get him to hospital, he's hurt bad. I can hear his heart it's steady but there's something wrong with his lungs and his hand is at an unusual angle." Xander knelt down in the dirt by Jon and hesitantly touched Jon's hair, it was so soft. Even encrusted with dirt, blood and sweat it was beautiful and so interesting. Focusing his hearing Xander homed in on the music of Jon's heart, until it filled his ears, and Jon's scent filled his scenes, until it was all that he could smell. Gently Xander followed the soft tresses of Jon's over long hair with his finger tips and they continued on to caress the boy's face. The Sentinel could even taste the tang from Jon's blood in the air on his tongue and for the first time Xander was meeting his Guide in the flesh. Xander entered a zone as his senses wanted only to experience his Guide for the first time.

"Jim, I think he's zoned," whispered Blair as he moved from behind his Sentinel. "It could be a bonding zone."

"Get him out of it," Jim said just as softly. "I'll talk to the General," a little louder he called, "General O'Neill, we're going to need medical assistance ASAP. The kid's are in a bad way."

Picking up his magazine cartridge from where it had fallen, Jack put the radio to the side of his face and began issuing orders for a clean up team and medical personnel not forgetting the civilians still down at the camp site. Keeping an eye on his clone and what appeared to be his clone's protector, Jack got ready to bring the group back to the SGC.

xxx

Later that night back at the SGC

General O'Neill sat at his desk with a scowl on his face, as he put the red phone back into it's place, there was a knock on his office door.

"Come."

"Well Jack, what did the President have to say?" It was Daniel.

"He was very glad that the situation was now contained."

"Then why the face."

"Because, Alexander LaVelle Harris, born 1981 formally of Sunnydale, California has some very powerful friends. He's untouchable by us and so are the detectives. Mr Harris has the clearance high enough that we're free to inform him all about the Stargate program and the existence of my clone. It was strongly suggested that we we're to treat him like royalty, and it was even hinted, it would be to our advantage if we could woo him to join this facility. And I remember where I knew the name from, when Ferretti first informed me of the police observer."

"How?"

"Mini-me asked me to run a check, a while back, because he said this guy had approach him, to become a pen friend of sorts."

"A pen friend?" Jack shrugged, "What did the security check turn up?"

Jack fidgeted in his chair. "I may have become side tracked."

"Jack..."

"Well there was bunting to choose, Ba'al stopped by, the team went missing and I am the Man now. Lots more jobs, less time to do them in."

Daniel sighed, "It doesn't seemed to have put a stop to their friendship anyway. What are we doing with the Cascade, detectives?"

"Oh their free to go once they sign the disclosure forms."

"You know..." Daniel sat on the edge of Jack's desk, "I googled Blair Sandburg and I came up with a lot of interesting material."

Jack wasn't really listening as he thought about the mystery of Xander Harris. "How so?"

"A few years back, Blair Sandburg turned in a thesis entitled, The Sentinel. It was accidentally released to the press in it's raw original form and it reported that James Ellison was a form of primeval man, that had heightened senses. He went on to call him a Sentinel. He retracted the story and on national TV. He stated that it was a fake."

"Is this going somewhere Danny?"

"Yes, Jack. A few months later, this disgraced Professor was working with the very detective, that his thesis stated was a primeval superior warrior."

Jack's eyes snapped up to meet Daniel's excited face. "Why would a police department hire someone who was a fake? The answer is they wouldn't. And you think Xander Harris is also one of these superior warriors?"

"Jack, you saw what happened in the forest. How else was he able to destroy a Goa'uld with his bare hands. And do you remember, how Ellison seem to track them with no effort. That may not be evidence in itself, but I looked into James Ellison's service record. It's good, in fact I would say that it's to good to be true."

Jack grabbed the phone on his desk. "Ferretti could you show the detectives to the VIP suites, after they sign the documents great." Putting down the phone and turning to Daniel he said, "Get me all the research that you find by this Sandburg fella. It looks like you aren't the only academic with crazy theories, that deserves a second look."

"I'll get Sam to help she maybe able to hack a computer or two."

"You'll make her day, I've never met anyone who liked to play hacker like Carter."

"What are we going to do, if they are some sort of advanced warrior?"

"It would explain the President's trust in the guy. Apparently he spent some time working with the Air force facility in Sunnydale."

"If we find anything to back up our conjectures?" There was quiet while Jack mulled his way through the problem.

"I'm may make them an offer."

"An offer?"

"Well there are spaces on some of the SG teams, including SG1." Daniel stood up to take his leave.

"I'll get Carter, and go hack some computer files." Jack smiled.

xxx

SGC Infirmary

"Oh God I hurt." Jon moaned, as he began to regain consciousness, or he tried to moan. He felt, rather than saw, someone move away from him and return a little later. Jon felt the end of a straw part his lips and he was grateful for the drink as he quenched his thirst. After he was done it was removed.

"I told you to stay in the apartment." Jon struggled to open his eyes. There was the guy from his dreams sitting in the infirmary chair.

"Hey Scarecrow," he croaked, "how's it hanging?" Jon's eyes were already closing again, the pain medication making him drowsy. With a last effort the bruised and battered boy croaked out, "Kerry. How's Kerry, the girl. She was with me in the forest."

"They flew her to the Academy Hospital."

"You should have seen her. Stayed with me... attacked him ..." Xander saw his Guide was fast losing his battle to stay awake.

"Get some sleep Jon, we can talk in the morning."

"You're not the boss of me," having had the last word, Jon fell back into unconsciousness.

Xander laughed."That's my Guide," he whispered, "that's my Guide."

...

A/N: This is where I was going to end this story and continue with the next one in the series, however I think that I may add an epilogue to this it will be here in the next 2 weeks. The next in the series will also be an attempt at a currently unanswered challenge, they all will be.

A/N2: I know nothing about guns so I'm not sure you can get the clips out like that.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N Sorry it's taken a lot longer than two weeks, but the story didn't go the way I wanted it to.

SGC Briefing room

The briefing room that he was escorted into was comfortable and showed more luxury than Xander had been expecting. "Better than a chair, desk , bright shining light and rubber hose," he quipped to himself. The large dark oval table was accompanied by big black leather swivel chairs. In the centre of the table coffee cups sat with with a fresh pot of filtered coffee. Xander dialled up his sense of smell just a touch to enjoy the aroma from the hot beverage, it was rich enough to temporarily brush away the mental cobwebs that plagued him since he hadn't been able to sleep the night before. That would be over 30 hours since he'd had sleep. The night before he had been more concerned with catching the plane to Colorado and last night he'd been so focused on the teenager Jon. To sleep would of meant being without his newly found Guide and the Sentinel had not been ready to be separated even for the purpose of sleep. Even now it had taken a huge amount of effort to leave the boy to recuperate and attend the morning's meeting. As his thoughts returned to his Guide, Xander began fixing himself a coffee.

"Hey Xander." the young Sentinel turned towards the two men that had entered the room.

"Morning Blair, Jim, would you like some the military's finest ground coffee?"

"Yes," came the answer from both of the detectives.

"Late night, Detectives?"

"The disclosure forms took some reading and had to be signed in triplicate. I made a few phone calls to my contacts within the Air Force just to get a handle on this situation. We also had to notify both the county's Sheriffs office and Simon as much as we could about the situation here."

The shorter man added, "We've told Simon that we'll probably be here for the week." Xander smiled, appreciating the support he was getting from his friends. He handed them their coffees.

"Thanks, guys." Both Xander and Jim looked to the door before it was opened to reveal General O'Neill and SG1.

"Morning Campers." called O'Neill as he approach the three men. He indicated that they should all be seated around the table. He sat himself at the head and SG1 sat around him, it didn't escape his notice that when seated Detective Ellison placed Sandburg in between himself and Harris, the side furthest away from Teal'c. He took a moment as the others began pouring coffee, to size up the visitors. The Detectives were pretty different in their styles and appearance. Ellison was over 6 ft tall, was built like a brick house and still carried himself with the bearing of a soldier, if anyone had an image of an advanced human then they wouldn't be disappointed with this man.

Sandburg was smaller, long haired and Jack had problems viewing him as a cop let alone as the companion to an advanced warrior. However his dealings with Daniel and other scientists had given him a healthy respect for people of high intelligence that could and did think outside the box. Just then he felt a shiver and found himself staring into the cold blue eyes of the older Detective, ice was warmer than that gaze. He felt as if Ellison was looking through him somehow, weighing him, judging him. The eyes lost their chill and warmed, with a slight quirk of the lips into a ghost of a smile. If that was some kind of test he must of just passed. A subtle polite clearing of Carter's throat, brought Jack back from the staring contest. Time to get this game started.

"Alright. Since yesterday everything was a bit rushed with the threat by the escaped prisoner and cleaning up all the blood and gore, I'll do the introductions. This is Dr Daniel Jackson, Lieutenant Colonel Doctor Samantha Carter, Teal'c, and I am Brigadier General Jack O'Neill. I am the Commanding Officer of this facility and I've been granted special dispensation from the President of the United States to share classified information of what we do here. As you may have guessed from your encounter yesterday, we are not your run of the mill Air Force base. Over to you Danny boy."

Xander smiled, the military was so limited in imagination. The Demon hunter teams were numbered the same but instead of SG teams they were HG teams, HG1 and upwards. It stood for Hellmouth Gateway there, he wondered what it stood for here. Pulling his wandering concentration back to the room, he listened as Jack finished his introductions and he motioned for Dr Jackson to take over the first half of the meeting.

"Well in order to explain what happened yesterday I'm going to have to give you a fill you in on the history of this facility. In the 1928 archaeologists found a mysterious object in Giza, In 1994 we were able to translate and activate the device. It took another year until we were able to achieve an open worm hole from our planet to Abydos through what we call the Stargate. After another year we were able to dial other planets and for the last eight years our teams have visited thousands of inhabited planets, most but not all of the peoples that we have encountered have been peaceful. Some have been human or descendants of humans others have not been." Daniel stopped and allowed the shocking news to impact their three guests. He liked to watch how people handled the news that they were not alone in the universe

The young man from Sunnydale said, "So that snake thingy was an alien."

"Yes." Daniel answered, "Over the last 8 years, we have been at war with the Goa'uld. A parasitic race that survives by implanting their larvae in suitable subjects, normally humans. The adult attaches itself to a suitable host and takes over control." Surreptitiously O'Neill and SG1 observed Xander, his reactions to the life changing news was more of a mystery than the two detectives, it was almost blasé. Ellison was a former Special Operation's officer, and his stoic acceptance of startling facts was expected. Sandburg was obviously reeling from the revelations. Harris was...well Harris was still drinking and enjoying his coffee. Jack was sure that he had heard him mummer about doughnuts at one point during Daniel's presentation.

Blair looked from Daniel to Jim knowing that his Sentinel would pick up the signals that people would give if they were lying, an increase in heart beat, a quick flickering of the eyes. Jim continued to look searchingly at Daniel then at the military personnel before them before making a small head gesture that only someone who knew Ellison well would read. Dr Jackson was tell the truth. Blair listened as Daniel continued with the tale detailing briefly the situation that Earth now found itself in, the conflict and the opportunities.

"Man," Blair was stunned, "that's far out there." Jim smiled as his usually bouncy partner was rendered almost speechless by the revelations. He looked over to where Xander sat drinking his coffee unperturbed.

"I must say, you're taking this rather calmly, Mr Harris." Jack was already trying to puzzle out the young man.

"In my life, I've seen things. It's just one more thing."

"Mr Harris, can I call you Alexander?" Daniel asked.

"I prefer Xander."

"Xander, I'm standing here telling you that not only is there life on other planets but that we have a gate that we use to transport ourselves light years away to other worlds across the galaxy and it's just another thing to you."

Xander smiled, "Your thing is a really big thing, but it's not as surprising as other things that I've come across and lets leave it at that."

"Is that why you already have a high level of security clearance?" Carter touched on the part of the Xander puzzle, that had surprised her.

"Yes, but I'm not sure you're cleared to know more." Carter sat back non nonplussed and O'Neill impatiently pushed the topic back from the interesting tangent they were travelling.

"Anyhow, back to what Daniel was saying, there are aliens that we are at war with. The one, you so effortlessly, tore to pieces yesterday, was one of the Goa'uld. They are stronger and faster than humans and we want to know how you were able to throw him around like that. And tear into him like he was chopped liver."

"I guess I just ate my Wheat-a-bix that morning." At their blank looks he added, "An English breakfast cereal."

"It's not because you're an advanced human that Blair called a Sentinel?" Daniel found himself facing three hostile gazes. They hadn't moved but the men sitting on the other side of the table were no longer quite as peaceful. It was as if a hidden switch had been thrown and they now exuded menace.

Blair's protective instincts came to the fore. "May I ask where you heard the term?"

"We've been doing our own research Detective Sandburg, and you published..."

"I did not publish anything. A friend mistaking my work of fiction, for my thesis on Closed Societies sent unfinished work to the publishers for a second opinion. That thesis The Sentinel by Blair Sandburg was in fact my first attempt at writing fiction, Dr Jackson. It caused us no end of trouble until I was forced to retract..."

"We know that you want people to believe that it was fraudulent, however we were suspect that you were protecting your friend Detective Ellison, here. There was the original monograph by Richard Burton, the documented debriefing after Captain Ellison's time in Peru. CIA Rogue Lee Brackett's insisted that former Ranger Captain Ellison was in possession of heightened senses when he was interviewed at length. Your personal history and your arrest history working with Ellison stands out from all the rest. And there's this..."

Jim and Xander both covered their ears as they were assaulted by a large shrill noise that seemed to be coming from the General. Jack opened his hand's to reveal a dog whistle. As all heads swivelled to look at him. "What!" He looked unrepentantly at a sighing Daniel, "We need to move on and I'd rather not argue this all day."

"Jim Ellison and Xander Harris are Sentinels," Daniel continued, "and you've been helping them use their senses. I believe that you called it guiding, a companion to the Watchman, also mentioned by Richard Burton."

Teal'c watched the interaction between the visitors, he too had felt the atmosphere change in the room, and readied himself for a possible violent outcome to this meeting. A person was never more dangerous than when they felt cornered. Detective Sandburg looked the most effected by the revealing.

Blair felt that he'd been kicked in his stomach, it felt like the dissertation had put Jim in danger of exposure again. Even though they'd both agreed to the risks inherent in leaving written work out there for people to find, they needed to help other Sentinels and Guides. Blair felt a touch to his knee, looking up, Jim's face showed acceptance and the emotions he could feel from his Sentinel were only of acceptance and calm.

"And where does that leave us?" asked Jim quietly. Since the meeting had started and O'Neill people had given them a long introduction to the Stargate programme he knew that they wanted something in return.

"It leaves us with an opportunity," said Jack, "and a problem. From what I understand of the Sentinel's role, there is an ingrained need to protect and we have a need for people to help protect this planet. We would like your co-operation to help us locate other Sentinels and your help in integrating them into the SGC. " he paused, "Detectives Ellison, Sandburg and Alexander Harris, I have been authorised to offer you all a job here at the SGC, helping us do what we do better."

Jim met Jack's gaze with his own, "Are we free to refuse?"

"You can refuse, however I'm not going to lie to you there will be pressure for you to help us locate another Sentinel and show us how to guide him and until that comes to pass, Detective Ellison your commission as of 9:00 hrs tomorrow morning will have been re-activated." There was a reserved silence from the three men as they realised that the military already owned Jim Ellison. Or so the others thought, Jim Ellison knew otherwise but held his tongue as he waited for the Air Force General to lay his cards on the table.

"We're not a threat to you, we just want to learn more about you and..." began Daniel trying to defuse the mounting tension in the room. An us and them stance would not lead to the most beneficial working environment, if he could get them to just...

Jack however cut him off. "What we do here is too important for us not to use every advantage that we have at our disposal. If what you say in your paper is right then there should be someone who wants to help protect the tribe here at the SGC and personally I would rather willing volunteers."

Carter spoke up. "You could gain your doctorate, Detective Sandburg."

"I don't care about my doctorate, I care about Jim!" said man snapped.

Again Jim's light touch to Blair's knee helped centre him and Jim surprised him with his next statement. "We'll need to talk the situation over and what ever happens we'll want certain protections and guarantees."

"Jim?" Blair questioned.

"Chief, let's talk about it later." Turning to the other young Sentinel, "What are you after from Xander?"

Xander looked up from his second cup of coffee, "I'll have to talk any options over with Jon. After all it's his life too" There was an awkward pause as the members of the SGC traded glances.

"There is a job offer for Xander's but the case is a little different." Samantha spoke.

"How so?" Blair asked.

"The partnership between you and Detective Ellison has been established for some time, and we would like to observe that. However we'd like Xander to work with SG1. Dr Jackson, Teal'c and myself would learn to guide Xander."

"Thank you very much," both Xander and Jim smiled to each other. SG1 had obviously only read Blair's original thesis that didn't contain the role of the Guide. "But I've already chosen my partner."

Blair stepped in, "Is it Jon's age that concerns you?"

"It's more about who or what Jon is that is of concern to us." Daniel answered for her.

"What do you mean, what Jon is?" Xander growled, he felt his muscles tense. Were they slighting_ his_ Guide.

"There's no easy way to say this but Jonathan O'Neill is a clone of Jack here. I'm sorry he's not the real anything." There was a stunned silence.

"A year ago, O'Neill was kidnapped and a member of the race involved tried to cover up the theft with a clone containing all of the then Colonel's knowledge." Samantha spoke into the silence."However because O'Neill's DNA had been safeguarded against such manipulation by another member of that race, the clone didn't age as expected. Duplicate O'Neill only reached the age of approximately 15 years old, which enabled us to discover the deception." Suddenly Xander stood, in concern Blair reached for him.

"Xander are you ok?" Jim also stood and both of them touched the young Sentinel to help ground him.

"I need air," he snapped and stood up intent on leaving the room. They were talking about Jon as if he wasn't even a real person and that made him more than a little angry. How could his Guide work with people who didn't even rate him as much as the Jaffa Teal'c? How could they be trusted to look after Jon's welfare? He needed to check on his friend now.

"Xander," Daniel's voice cut though the whirling thoughts that were spinning around Xander's head, "I don't really see the problem I have a doctorate in Anthropology and I'm sure that we'd be able to partner you in the field. I'm looking forward..."

"It is non negotiable. Jon is my Guide."

"We wouldn't try and stop you interacting with Jon as friends, I'm not sure that I can see what your problem is." Daniel was confused, something wasn't adding up. "There will just be too many issues between Jack and Jon for them to work successfully together."

"Dr Jackson, what you have in your possession is my early work. There were some aspects of the Sentinel and Guide partnership that I was completely blind to. It goes deeper than just bringing someone out of a zone, it requires a one on one bond for life." SG1 exchange glances.

"What sort of bond, a soul connection, a link."

Jack sighed explosively he hated anything metaphysical, hopefully Carter would be able to bring it into the real world. "You've lost me."

"It's hard to explain, but put it this way a Guide is just as special as the Sentinel and Jon and Xander are already linked. It takes more than a nice sounding voice to pull someone back from a deep zone, it takes a metaphysical connection which only some people can make. Jon is one of these people."

"There's the likely possibility that if the clone is one of these people then Jack is too." Startled Xander looked at Jack and his senses honed in on the General, there was nothing special coming from him. No it wasn't possible to replace Jon with anyone else.

"No. I have Jon and I chose Jon, he has a soul and a Spirit guide..." Then he slapped his own forehead. "A baby one." Suddenly the reason for the young white tiger cub was revealed. "He is real, a person in his own right, and," he checked again what his senses had told him, "I couldn't anyway. Could I Jim? Jack's not Jon."

"No, you couldn't." Jim also looked at Jack honing his senses in on the General. "The General isn't the same," he agreed with the other Sentinel. He'd only spent very little time with Jon but even that was enough to catalogue him via his senses.

Xander blurted out, "You don't quite feel like him, you're not the same."

With a slight grimace, and an apologetic glance to his friend Daniel said, "He's just older, a lot older, but this is..."

"No they're different," Xander laughed without humour. "It's not just their difference in age, General O'Neill is not a Guide, but Jon is."

"You must be mistaken, General..."

"It's true, this O'Neill is not a Guide." Jim supported the younger man's argument. Pulling gently on the young man's arm they both retook their seats. "I'd know my own Guide at any age and Xander would be able too as well. I can also tell when someone's a potential Guide. Capital G."

"How can that be? It's not possible, duplicate O'Neill was cloned by the Asgard. They live by cloning themselves."

"You're a close match. Like family... like a man that is his brother and father, but you're not the same. Your scent and," Xander smiled sheepishly, "something's different."

Blair also smiled. "Face it General, Jon's not identical to you, from a Sentinel's perspective. Therefore he's not your exact clone maybe it's something that can't be cloned. Also it wouldn't be fair to Xander to bond with someone so much older than him, "

"But this missing element was created when Duplicate O'Neill was made?" Carter was intrigued. A mutation perhaps, or a consequence of the genetic marker they placed in the General.

Xander growled softly still tense, "Stop with the duplicate business, Jonathan has a name."

"Fine but let's get the facts of this straight. Jonathan is a clone, my clone he belongs to me and the United States Air Force." Jack was getting a head ache and wanted to cut to the crux of the matter.

"He's only value to you is that he is my Guide." The darker Sentinel in Xander began to stir as a threat to his Guide was perceived. Xander moved forward and it was only the gentle grounding touch to his arm that kept him from answering the challenge and calmed him slightly as the older Sentinel sat straighter and his cell phone gave a beep. The smile Jim gave the General was quite chilling.

"Excuse me I think that we all need to calm down. I think that this can all be sorted out amicably to all our satisfaction. Well mine anyway." With that Jim gave a reassuring squeeze to Xander's shoulder.

Jack growled as the phone in the centre of the conference room began to ring and picked it up "O'Neill," he barked. The following "Yes, sir." was said with a hell of a lot more respect, "Yes, sir, but..."....."Yes, Sir." and to everyone's surprise he held out the phone towards Ellison. "It's General Kinnock for you, Detective Ellison."

"What on earth have you got yourself into now Ellison?" came the deep bass on the phone Jim could just see the big African-American Joint chief leaning back in his seat at the Pentagon, waiting to hear of the former Ranger's newest episode.

Meanwhile Jack had crossed over to the briefing room's door and swung it open. In entered two men in expensive, bespoke suits.

"Nothing you can't help me sort out, Zac. You're just in time." Jim smiled and turned to the other men, "Turner, Grey good to see you." The two men nodded their greetings to the Cascade Detective. General O'Neill looked at the men and knew that his morning had just gotten a whole lot more complicated. "I'm sure that this situation can be sorted out amicably now. I'll fill you in later. Oh and I think there maybe a memo to re-activate my commission, can you deal with that, it really isn't convenient at the moment."

"Keep me appraised."

"Roger that, Zac." As Jim replaced the receiver he perched himself on the edge of the table. Turning to speech to the well dressed men in suits he said, "General O'Neill was just claiming a free citizen of the USA, to be his and USAF property and had just informed me that I was being re-activated to Captain as of tomorrow morning. What do you say to that."

Blair Sandburg sat back and watched as his partner morphed into the other persona he had become aware of only a few years ago James Ellison, person of power. Last night he'd caught a glimpse of this aspect of his Sentinel's personality as Jim had made a steady stream of phone calls after reading the disclosure forms. There was a lot that he still didn't know about Jim's military past, and all the situations that he had been in before the fated downing of his helicopter in Peru 12 years ago, however he knew that his name was probably the first out of the hat to help the Secret Service when the President had visited Cascade some years back. On a day to day basis, all you saw was Jim the cop, and it was easy to see why someone like O'Neill would have thought it easy to take control of the Sentinel. Well he doubted that this tac would be tried again. The archaeologist let his mind drift onto other topics a Stargate to other worlds...

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Two hours later Jack watched as the Sentinel's and their Guides left Cheyenne Mountain in a military chopper bound for the closest military airbase, where they would be put on a flight to Virginia. It had not gone as planned the only thing he had been left with was his rank and the knowledge that advanced warriors did exist, however it wasn't all bad news. Negotiations with Ellison would continue at the Detectives time and choosing. Other possible candidates would be looked for and if Sandburg found them willing try the SGC. Jack sighed as he realised that his high handed tactics in regards to his clone had not earned him any friends. Turning around he walked back into the facility he needed another talk with Dr Fredrick Sawyer, just how different was Jon?

Thank you to everyone who has taken time to write a review thank you, you guy's kept me writing.


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